Chuukaku.com
the website of Katie Fraser
a librarian with a PhD in Learning Sciences
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
So, after quite a long time out from my PhD, or at least with it sitting on the back burner, it's actually getting to the stage where I need to put a large amount of my attention back onto it. I had my viva towards the end of October 2007, and, what with applying for library school, Christmas, and a brand new job and town there's always been something else fighting for my attention. Of course, there are still things fighting for my attention now, but my goal is to finish my rewrites and resubmit by the summer, so I need to start.
My viva wasn't bad as an experience, but the outcome wasn't great, in that I've been given major corrections. The PhD viva (or defense, as it's known in the US) has a number of different possible outcomes in the UK. The best known are (i) an outright pass, which is fairly rare, (ii) minor corrections, which require about 3 months to fix, (iii) major corrections, which require about a year to fix, (iv) fail. There's a number of different variations and additional categories, depending on where you study.
My outcome was major corrections, which, before the viva, I'd described as 'the worst possible outcome' only because if you fail, at least you get to stop. I still find it pretty depressing that I got this outcome although I count my blessings regularly: I don't have too significant a rewrite of the whole thing to do, they're not that 'major' for major corrections, I don't have to retake the viva. Still, minor corrections are the most common outcome, and when your peers all get minor corrections, it makes it tempting to look on the grey side. What is more, no one talks about major corrections. You're really supposed, I think, to keep your head down, make the corrections, pass and then never speak of them again. They are a secret PhD shame. At least if you fail you can make all kinds of rude allegations about your examiners, rather than feeling like they wanted you to pass, and are trying to help you do it. Consider this post an attempt to make sure anyone else looking for fellow sufferers by search engine knows they're not the only one. Back to the thesis, then...
Labels: corrections, phd, viva
posted by Katie @ 18:26 Permanent link to this entry
10 Comments:
Well, major correction is not the WORST outcome. My experience is "major correction with further research and re-viva". It means I have to construct another research project, which can be done within reasonable scale, to revise my original thesis, to submit again, and to wait for another 6 months after submission date for my viva.
Scary thought! You have my sympathies...
Don't worry! The thought of major corrections is rather disheartening but it is more common than people realise. I passed with major corrections of six months, as did two of my friends (one from same department one from a different one). My supervisor told me that this is no longer 'a big deal' it used to be, and that people are these days practically forced to submit before the 4-year deadline in order not to jeopardise the department's future research funding. (Especially for ESRC funded students). The result is less-than-ready PhDs and lots of annoyed students who get major corrections.
My question to you is, how are you coping with the corrections? I'm finding it absolutely awful, and unlike the period of my PhD, I have zero motivation to get anything done.
Good question, anonymous. Well, I'm relieved that I'm getting near to the end of the correction period, but I'm just starting to rewrite my previous rewrite, so I don't feel like I've made a huge amount of progress. On the other hand, feedback from my supervisors means I've a good structure to start from this time and I feel more confident about the validity of the new version, if not necessarily confident about my external examiner's reaction to it!
I guess my overall reaction is a bit que sera, sera - I'm going to have one last shot, try and get motivated enough to write something I think is good, and if it doesn't fit the bill then I guess it wasn't meant to be.
I know exactly what you have gone through and I am quite close to the end, will post my whole ordeal when its over for the benefit of people like me.
I am so sorry about my question but I don't know who else to ask but fellow PhDs who have no clue about my identity. (Your blog came up on google search.)
I had my viva recently and passed with no corrections. Here comes the question:
I am writing to two senior scholars in my field (who I know from conferences etc.) about the PhD and other things. I sort of want to tell them the viva result and names of my examiners 'cos I think it makes good career-sense. But I cringe when I look at it written down like that. I can't make up my mind, and will appreciate any/all advice!
No problem. I don't really see an issue with giving this information as long as you're humble in your phrasing: I'd probably go with "I recently had my viva with x and y and was thrilled to pass unconditionally" and then perhaps say something about what that allows you to do e.g. applying for postdocs, writing up a paper etc.
If you want some actual etiquette advice you could always write to Ms Mentor at the Chronicle of Higher Education! http://chronicle.com/section/Advice-Columns/144/
Thank Katie! That makes good sense. Much appreciated.
Apologies if I am being rude but I was given minor corrections and am having panic attacks I might fail them (6 and bit year UK PhD student which is loong time (for UK)) so wanted to know how many pages your major corrections turned out to be. What seems like a minor major for yourself may be a major minor for me.
Regards
Hello, erm, other anonymous! I can't remember exactly how many pages my corrections were (and it was double spaced with massive margins, so page numbers probably wouldn't be a good guide). It was an extra chapter and an additional section, though.
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