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#144 - What Happens in a PhD Viva: From the Examiner's Side of the Table

Apr 15, 2026
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Today I am giving you the full timeline, from the conversation we have before you walk in to the moment we tell you the outcome, along with exactly what to prepare for each stage so nothing catches you off guard.

15 April 2026

Read time: 3 minutes


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I am taking on a small number of new 1:1 mentoring candidates this quarter. If you are a working professional doing a PhD, DBA, EDBA, EdD, or DrPH alongside your career and you want structured support at any stage, I would like to hear from you.

 

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#157 - "This Needs More Depth" What Your Supervisor Actually Means, And Why They Never Show You
Today, I am going to take the five most common supervision comments I hear and show you what they actually mean, what the fix looks like, and why your supervisor probably cannot show you themselves. 15 July 2026 Read time: 3 minutes   A mentee sent me her methodology chapter last year with a note at the top: "My supervisor said this needs more depth. I have rewritten it three times ...
#156 - The Part of a Doctorate Nobody Warns You About, And Why It Ends More PhDs Than the Research Does
Today, I am showing you why this happens, what is actually missing once the taught phase ends, and what I have been building to fix it. 8 July 2026 Read time: 3 minutes div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,...
#155 - How to Turn Your Reference Library Into a Research Assistant
Today, I am showing you how to turn your library of papers into your research assistant. 1 July 2026 Read time: 3 minutes div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markd...

The Research Insider

One insider strategy per week to complete your PhD or DBA on time, use AI responsibly, and navigate the academic system with confidence. 230,000+ researchers follow my work on LinkedIn. 10,000+ subscribe to this newsletter. Here's why. Whether you're a full-time researcher or a working professional doing a doctorate alongside your career, the system wasn't built for you. Universities teach methodology. They don't teach you how to actually finish. Every Wednesday, I share one technique from the examiner's side of the table. The things I've learned from examining 45+ PhD theses, supervising 30+ researchers to completion, and mentoring working professionals through doctorates they were told they couldn't do while working. All in under 3 minutes. AI is changing research fast. I've tested 12+ tools with doctoral students and I train universities on responsible AI use. I'll show you what works, what makes things up, and how to use these tools without putting your integrity at risk. My followers call me their virtual mentor. This newsletter is where that mentoring goes deeper. No fluff. No jargon. Just the strategies I use with my own mentees, in your inbox every Wednesday.
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