A viva is a conversation about your research. Examiners mainly want to see that you understand what you did and why. Prepare answers to these questions in your own words.
About the topic
- Why did you choose this topic?
- What problem does your study address?
- What is the research gap?
- What is the significance of your study — who benefits?
- Summarise your thesis in two minutes.
Tip: practise a 60-second and a 2-minute summary: problem → gap → method → main findings → contribution.
About the literature and theory
- Which theory supports your framework, and why?
- Which previous studies are closest to yours?
- How is your study different from them?
- Define your key variables.
About the methodology
- Why did you choose this research design?
- Who was your population and how did you select the sample?
- How did you calculate your sample size?
- Why this sampling technique? What are its limitations?
- Where did your questionnaire come from? How did you check validity and reliability?
- What ethical steps did you take?
About the analysis and results
- Why did you use this statistical test?
- Did you check its assumptions?
- What does this p value / R² / beta mean?
- Which hypothesis was not supported? Why might that be?
- What is your most important finding?
Tip: be ready to explain every number in your main tables in simple words. See how to read regression output.
About the conclusion
- What are the practical implications?
- What are the limitations of your study?
- If you did this study again, what would you change?
- What future research do you suggest?
- What is your original contribution to knowledge?
How to answer well
- Pause, then answer briefly and directly. Long answers create new questions.
- If you don’t know, say so honestly and explain how you would find out.
- Accept valid criticism calmly: “That’s a fair point; it is a limitation, and future studies could…”
- Bring a printed copy of your thesis with tabs on key tables.
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