The purpose of a PhD Viva (assuming that on paper the PhD is worthy of
being awarded and shows evidence of original thinking)includes the need:
1 to convince the external examiner that the work is done by the
student in question
2 to clarify anything that the external examiner doesn't
understand
3 to justify anything in the thesis that the external examiner
disagrees with.
Basically the student has to "defend" the thesis which requires
knowledge of the material in sufficient depth that only the author would
know it.
Any adaptation that allows this to happen would therefore be reasonable
to employ. I would think that any adaptation that reduces stress would
be looked for; maybe the counselling service would have some ideas. I
would suggest that options be discussed with the student in question but
possibilities would include:
a External examiner questions being delivered to the student on
the morning of the Viva, with the student having time to prepare
answers in a secure private room during that morning with the
Viva later in the day.
b Further questions raised by the student's answers being given to
the student either on tape or transcribed, the student could then
retire to the secure private room and prepare answers without the
stress of a face to face questioning session.
c Rest breaks allowed to the student as and when needed.
If possibility (a) were to be used then the external would still only
have to be present for half a day which is normal.
I would suggest that using your imagination plus student guidance would
come up with an acceptable solution. Since the PhD Viva is a unique
one-off occasion with every Viva being different, there should be
dialogue between Disability Support, the Student, the Internal
Supervisor and the External Examiner to arrive at a mode of examination
acceptable to all. The situation allows for flexibility and this could
be used.
Gerard V Conroy
Consultant on Academic Practice and Disability Issues
e-mail [log in to unmask]
telephone: work 0161 200 3336
mobile 07919 930 295
Home address:
Hillcroft
Little Longstone
Bakewell
Derbyshire
DE45 1NN
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angela Fawcett
Sent: 25 June 2004 16:03
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: PhD vivas and special needs
Does anyone have any information on whether there are any special
needs provisions for vivas.
The student in question is diabetic, and may possibly develop
hyperglycaemia and arrhythmia under stress. He took early retirement
from teaching because of his diabetic absences, which have been known
to affect his processing speed.
Angela
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