Diary of a Viva Ninja: Day 16
Today I’ve been reflecting on different strategies for answering (and managing the intense ‘grilling’ of a viva). This is what I’ve come up with…
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Strategies for answering in a Viva by Kevan Manwaring, 2018
Of course #1 is the best response, or #5 if in doubt. The worst thing you can do is answer defensively, or bluster on (because you’ve misheard the question, or can’t think of an answer). And monitor the examiner’s response to your answer. If it sounds like they’ve misheard you, misrepresented your answer, or (more likely) you have made a mistake, then intervene quickly – offering to correct, clarify, or defend your answer in a calm way. Don’t slip into panic mode. If you feel yourself starting to wobble, then take a deep breath, a sip of water, or visualise your ‘place of calm’ (fix this in your mind before the viva – it can be a place you feel safe, secure, peaceful, lucid …).
The key thing here is to pause before answering – the transliminal moment is the place of power in imaginative writing, in performance, and in an interview situation. Savour it and acclimatise to it. It is the view from the aircraft before the parachute jump. Rather than ‘lose your head’, learn to be calm and lucid. Your (academic) life depends upon it!
Prana is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘breath’ or ‘life-force’, which feels like something positive to be inviting in, and encouraging to flow in the examination room. The acronym I’ve come up with is hopefully a suitably mnemonic one. If in doubt at your own recall in moments of stress, write the letters on your hand/fingers – one for each digit!
PRANA
Pause: Make a note of the question.
Reflect: What kind of question is this?
Analyse: What is the question asking?
Narratise: Start to structure an answer; give it an efficient ‘narrative’ arc, to avoid rambling.
Acknowledge: the question in your response. Return to it in conclusion with a summary of your answer.
The aim is to create porousness, reciprocity, and resilience in the noetic field of the viva. Practice using PRANA in your practice-sessions and Mock. I certainly will. If you decide to give it a go yourself, let me know.
