Evidence suggests that candidates in many countries are unclear of the criteria that examiners use to judge the scholarly merit of their submitted thesis/dissertation.  This affects the way in which they write their thesis/dissertation, prepare to defend it and defend it.

Our research illuminates this situation.  Data from, currently, 114 doctoral defences provide insights on the type of questions that examiners ask, the relative importance of those questions and the significance of categories of questions.  These data provide frameworks of questions and issues that candidates can use to guide and shape the planning and drafting of their thesis/dissertation.  In this way, candidates can align their doctoral study, personal scholarship and writing to accord with the summative expectations of their examiners.

The presentation will draw on our extensive research, numerous publications, international workshops for candidates and doctoral supervisors plus our experience as supervisors and examiners.  In this workshop participants will discuss issues from their own theses and identify critical issues that examiners look for when they assess a doctoral thesis.  Our data provide frameworks of questions and issues that candidates can use to guide and shape the planning and drafting of their thesis/dissertation.  In this way, they can align their doctoral study, personal scholarship and writing to meet the summative expectations of their examiners.

This session will contain three parts:

·                     Theoretical:  presentation on the predictable ~ types of ~ questions asked by examiners of candidates in doctoral defense / vivas;

·                     Practical:  small group activity relating examiners’ questions to how theses/dissertations are ‘being drafted’ by participants;

·                     Putting it together:  a feedback plenary to identify how anticipating likely questions and possible answers can be used to improve the scholarly quality of submitted theses/dissertations.