This session will cover examiner expectations of your thesis and oral examination (viva voce). Topics include:
- selecting your examiner
- what are examiners looking for?
- what turns examiners off
- experienced versus inexperienced examiners
- responding to examiner reports
- preparing for the oral exam
The session will draw from examples of examiner reports as well as the vast experience of the speaker, Associate Professor Pierre Benckendorff, as an HDR advisor and examiner. Pierre is concurrently an award-winning UQ expert at BEL and Deputy Dean of the Graduate School.
This session will NOT cover the administrative processes of thesis examinations. Please refer to this link for more information on admin processes.
Feedback from 2023 participants includes:
“The information provided demystified the process and interestingly calmed me down.”
“It is the last hurdle for HDR students to be able to pass their thesis and oral examination so knowing what and how examiners carry out their role is integral to shaping our best chances of passing!”
“I liked the advice to treat the thesis defence as an opportunity to discuss with experts in the field how to improve your own work.”
About Your thesis
Developing your thesis from an initial concept to a finished, quality document takes time and effort. Learn some key skills around concept mapping, confirmation report writing and more.
Effective candidature management will also help you to complete your thesis, so don't forget to take the time to put some effective strategies in place.
The Library runs Creating a structured Thesis (CaST) sessions to help you auto-format your thesis in Word:
Other useful links
- myUQ Thesis preparation
- myUQ Structuring your thesis
- UQ Library EndNote for thesis writing
- UQ Library Copyright quick guides
- UQ Library Research Techniques - literature reviews
- UQ Library Research Techniques - systematic reviews
- The Good Doctorate video: Preparing for an Oral Examination (VIVA)
- Candidature management