What is a synopsis? and How to write a synopsis?

A synopsis is nothing but summarizing your thesis or providing a snapshot of your entire thesis. Hence it’s arguments and conclusion. Although writing PHD synopsis does not consume much time unless 80% of the PhD thesis has been completed. However, most of the PhD candidates struggle to write the synopsis as its first gist for the examiners. Hence it should reflect the high quality and argumentative.

What are the Standard Headings of Synopsis?

• Title – It should be self-explanatory and relate directly to the main objectives
• Abstract – It should state the problem, main objectives, theories, conceptual framework
• Introduction – Justify the research problem
• Problem statement/ – Literature review (critical review of scientific literature)
• Literature review
• Hypotheses
• Limitations
• Methodology and methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendix A research Matrix
• Appendix B Data collection instruments (e.g.. interview guide, questionnaire)

What is the purpose of a Viva Voce Examination?

The PhD viva is a compulsory component of the examination process, usually takes place “behind closed doors”, but there are a few institutions that operate “public” viva and access is still restricted to certain members.

What do examiners check during your Viva Voce?

• Skills
• To check that the thesis is the candidate’s own work, it is understandable that candidates are expected to explain and justify their work, interpretations and ideas
• PhD candidates are expected to work through questions and problems in the Viva
• Clear Communication and being able to defend one’s ideas
• If a thesis is weak, asked to work through the weakness and in cases where the thesis is strong, the candidates can be asked to develop the future of their ideas – Overall “think on ones’ feet.”
• Content
• Always check your guide / supervisor / mentor and get their advice in preparing for the viva. However, this will be useful, particularly if the supervisor has knowledge about the likely academic agendas of the examiners.
• Further, it will be difficult for the supervisor to know how the examiners will rate the thesis although hopefully in most cases the supervisors will have judged it to be “good” thesis before recommending submission by the candidate. In addition, selecting examiners that are known do not guarantee the content of the examination.
• Although Mock Viva provides close proximity to the actual, always to not resemble actual experience (Wallace and Marsh, 2001). Moreover, it is necessarily premised on certain assumptions about the content of the real thing.

Other useful suggestions

1. Get your guidance from supervisor
2. Upgrading your skills
3. Mock Viva
4. Other students experiences (recent)
5. Grapevine stories
6. Books or articles
7. Department training
8. Other formal training

Before Attending Viva Voce

• Attend some viva voce defences before it’s your turn
• Always discuss your work / research with other colleagues
• Do not circulate all your chapters to committee members
• The defense should be a team effort- you and advisor
• Don’t be defensive at your defense
• Organize your defense as an educational presentation
• Consider tape recording your defense
• Prepare an article on the outcomes of your research
• In a single paper, write your study limitations and ready answer to rectify the same in future research. Let everyone know your study limitations and your outcome.

Source: Tinkler, P and Jackson, C Quality Assurance in Education (2002, pp.86-97)