#144 - What Happens in a PhD Viva: From the Examiner's Side of the Table
Apr 15, 2026

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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A few spaces available for 1:1 mentoring
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.
#164 - How to Write a Chapter That Passes Your Viva and Becomes a Journal Paper
Today I am showing you why so much strong doctoral research never reaches a journal, and the shift that fixes it while you are still writing rather than years after you finish.
02 September 2026
Read time: 4 minutes
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Before we start: free live session next Wednesday 9th September
Many PhD candidates finish a doctorate with three or four years of original research and nothing publi...
#163 - The 7 moves of an introduction that gets published
Today I am going to take you through the seven moves an introduction makes, and the one that gets people rejected.
26 August 2026
Read time: 3 minutes
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Free LinkedIn Live: Methodology Made Simple - 27th August
Before we start, one thing.
Nobody teaches you methodology. Then they fail you for getting it wrong.
So on Thursday 27 August I am running a free LinkedIn Live: Methodology ...
#162 - 15 Rules of the PhD Viva
Today, I am going to tell you what I wish every candidate knew before they sat down across from me, because most of what you have been told about viva preparation is either vague or wrong.
19 August 2026
Read time: 3 minutes
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The viva is not a test of whether you got everything right.
It is a test of whether you can defend what you chose.
That is a completely different thing, and u...
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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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