Core Research and Contributions

During your viva, examiners often focus on your core research contributions. They want to see that you can write your thesis clearly, highlight its novelty, and explain its relevance. Typical questions in this area include:

• Can you briefly summarize the main idea of your thesis in one or two sentences?
• What is the original contribution of your research? For example, did you develop a new algorithm, framework, or model?
• Why is the problem you addressed important—practically, theoretically, or industrially?
• What motivated you to pursue this research, and how did you identify the research gap?
• How has working on this topic changed your perspective or understanding of the field?

These questions are designed to test your ability to communicate your research clearly and to ensure you understand the broader impact of your work.

Methodology and Technical Decisions

Examiners in a Computer Science PhD viva voce often dig into your methodological choices and technical reasoning. They want to know that your approach was well-thought-out and justified. Common PhD viva voce questions include:

• Why did you select this specific research methodology (e.g., experiments, prototyping, simulations)?
• Were there other methods you considered, and why did you decide against them?
• How did you deal with limitations or constraints in your approach?
• How can you be confident that your findings are correct and reliable?
• Does your system, algorithm, or model scale effectively from small test cases to real-world data?

Answering these PhD viva voce questions shows examiners that you thought critically about your approach and can defend your choices against alternatives.

Literature and Context Questions

Your understanding of the broader field is crucial in a viva. Examiners may ask:

• Who are the leading researchers or “key players” in your area, and how does your work relate to theirs?
• Which published studies are most relevant to your research, and why?
• What work is closest to yours, and how does your research differ or improve upon it?

These questions assess your knowledge of the state-of-the-art and your ability to situate your work within existing research.

Evaluation and Future Directions

Finally, examiners in a Computer Science PhD viva voce want to see your critical thinking and vision for future research. Common PhD viva voce questions in this area include:

• What do you consider the strongest and weakest aspects of your research?
• If you had another year to work on this project, what would you do differently?
• What future directions or extensions could build upon your research?

Being able to reflect on your work honestly and suggest meaningful extensions demonstrates maturity as a researcher and shows examiners that you can think beyond your thesis.