Strategies and Tips to Manage a Successful CD or Viva

1. Managing a Successful Candidature Defence (CD)
By Dr Kenny Cheah

2. INTRODUCTION
• CD is most crucial obstacle
• Research process will now undergo ‘fire-testing’ with both internal
and external examiners.
• The critical factor that decides if the candidate has passed or
failed in his/her CD lies not on the written work itself, but
consists of other internal and external factors to the candidate.
• In this 2-hour seminar, students will learn effective strategies to
manage a successful candidature defence.

3. INTRODUCTION
• CD (OR A VIVA VOCE) PROVIDES :
1. OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS YOUR WORK WITH ANOTHER EXPERT
2. IMPROVE YOUR ARGUMENTS AND PHILOSPOHY
3. PUT YOUR BELIEFS TO THE TEST (JUST LIKE IN THE JOHARY-
WNDOW)

4. Agenda Today
• 9.30-10.00 am: Arrival of participants and guests (concurrent with
tea-breaks)
• 10.00-11.30 am : Seminar Delivery
• 11.30am-12.00pm : Questions and Answers
• 12.00pm : End of Seminar

5. Why is a Candidature Defense (CD) Tough?
[INTERNAL FACTORS]
• A=Psychological Stress
• B=Physical Stress
• C=Emotional Stress
• D=Physiological Stress
• E=Mental Stress
• F=Others
•A+B+C+D+E+F= Success or Failure?

9. Why is a Candidature Defense (CD) Tough?
[EXTERNAL FACTORS]
• G=The Examiner(s) Factor
• H=The Technology Use Factor
• I=The Organizational Factor
• J=The Supervisor(s) Factor
• K=The Economic(s) Factor
• L=The Political Factor
• M=Others
•A+B+C+D+E+F= Success or Failure?

10. What Makes a Successful Candidature
Defence?
• Depends on the standard you are comparing with
•So what is your Standard? Vs
The Faculty Standard?

11. The different styles of candidature and examiners
in a candidature defence.

12. The IEL, University of Malaya Style

14. How far should you go to prepare for a candidature
defence?

15. How far should you go to prepare for a candidature
defence?
Cheah, 2015
Theoretical
Aspects
Decisional
Aspects
Processual
Aspects

16. How far should you go to
prepare for a candidature
defence?
•THEORETICAL
CONSIDERATIONS

17. How far should you go to
prepare for a candidature
defence?
•THEORETICAL
CONSIDERATIONS

18. How far should you go to
prepare for a candidature
defence?
• PROCESSUAL
ASPECTS
Examples:
1. Coherence, Clarity and Comprehensive
2. Reliability and Validity
3. Research Instrumentation
4. APA format
5. Purpose and Content of the thesis
6. Etc

19. How far should you go to
prepare for a candidature
defence?
• DECISIONAL
ASPECTS
WHY YOU DID WHAT YOU DID?
• Justification
• Rationalization
• Comparison
• Considerations
• Asuumptions
• Defending your Philospohy

22. How to manage tough questions in your
candidature defence?

23. Technique 1# FEEL, FELT, FOUND

24. Technique 1# Feel, Felt Found

25. Technique 2# TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSES

26. How to manage tough questions in your candidature defence?
Technique 2# Transactional Analyses by Eric Berne

28. Technique 3#:
Boomerang
• TURNING AN OBJECTION INTO A REASON
TO CONVINCE
• ASK INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS FOR THE
QUESTIONER TO REFLECT BACK ON
HIS/HER ASUMPTIONS BEHIND THE
QUESTION

29. PRECAUTONS
DO’s
• Be passionate, enthusiastic
• Objections is part of a
communication process
• Justify your viewpoints with DATA
• Realise that Not every
TECHNIQUE is APPLICABLE in
EVERY SITUATION
• USE CREATIVE & POWERFUL
ILLUSTRATIONS
DON’TS
• Never disrespect your examiners or say they
are wrong
• Never say negative things about people,
things, events, or other unworthy excuses
• Never lie your data and process of research
• DO NOT PUSH YOUR EXAMINERS TO LISTEN
TO YOU when they are not accepting your
answers. Just admit if you are wrong and
move on

30. PRECAUTONS
• Examiners get annoyed when students are not listening to their questions, and
NOT answering them to the point! You should’t TRY to explain to them like
teaching them like Amateurs.
• Examine your CONTENT, CLAIMS, and JUSTIFICATIONS of your WORK.
• Don’t ANALYZE till PARALYSE on your Examiners. Be friendly and NOT Stiffen
them.
• DO NOT READ YOUR SLIDES! Maintain EYE CONTACT.
• MENTAL PREPARATION & REHEARSING IS KEY

33. A GOOD candidature defence must have these
THREE IMPACT
THEORY
REALITYAPPLICATION
Cheah, 2015

34. THEORY
• KNOW YOUR MATERIALS INSIDE OUT
• REMEMBER THE EXPERTS IN THE THEORIES BEHIND
• DON’T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH, OR TRY TO PREACH TO YOUR
EXAMINERS WHO ARE ALREADY EXPERTS IN CERTAIN SUBJECTS.

35. APPLICATION
• ARE YOU PREPARED? (ARRIVAL, ATTIRE, WHAT TO BRING,
• USE APPROPRIATE AND CLEAR PRESENTATION SLIDES
• TIME YOUR PRESENTATION FOR THE BEST IMPACT
• PRACTICE & REFINE YOUR PRESENTATION
• PHD IS A MANAGEMENT PROJECT: PLANNING, ORGANISING, LEADING AND CONTROLLING
• IS YOUR RESEARCH A CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE?
• IS YOUR WORK ORIGINAL AND TRUE?

36. REALITY
• THERE IS NO PERFECT THESIS, CANDIDATURE DEFENCE
• ADMIT MISTAKES HUMBLY AND BE PROFESSIONAL, NOT EMOTIONAL
• HAVE YOU FILLED IN THE GAP IN THE END OF YOUR RESEARCH
• HAVE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LIMITATIONS AND ALSO YOUR
RESEARCH LIMITATIONS?
• ARE YOU AN ETHICAL RESEARCHER?
• CAN YOUR FINDINGS SOLVE REAL PROBLEMS?

38. Q&A (REFLECTIONS)
• WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT TODAY?
• HOW CAN IT BE APPLIED IN YOUR OWN PHD WORK?
• WHAT ARE MY WEAKNESSESS TO IMPROVE?
• WHAT ARE MY STRENGTHS TO MANAGE?
• ETC.

39. Thank you
Dr. Kenny S.L Cheah
Senior Lecturer,
Institute of Educational Leadership, IEL
18-5, Level 18,
Wisma R&D, University of Malaya (UM)
59990 Jalan Pantai Baru
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Direct Line: +603-2246 3413