ERIC Number: EJ1419865
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2731-5525
Available Date: N/A
Purpose-Driven Oral Examination: Insights from Doctoral Viva Examiners
Discover Education, v2 Article 52 2023
Despite the importance of the PhD viva in assessing the quality of doctoral research, how examiners approach the PhD viva remains underexplored in the Global South. This study fills this gap by investigating the conceptions of doctoral examiners in Malaysia, shedding light on how they approach the PhD viva and what they believe its key purposes are. Through qualitative thematic analysis of interviews with twelve examiners, this study reveals that examiners place a significant emphasis on the quality of the research thesis, empower candidates to demonstrate mastery of the research subject, initiate dialogue for research engagement, and foster socialisation within the disciplinary community. The study contributes to the conceptualisation of the purposes of the PhD viva, encompassing gatekeeping, empowerment, dialogue, and enculturation, which can provide valuable guidance for examiner practices. The implications of these findings are discussed, highlighting the facilitative role of examiners in the examination process.
Descriptors: Doctoral Students, Student Evaluation, Oral Language, Test Format, Evaluators, Foreign Countries, Student Research, Doctoral Dissertations, Mastery Learning, Socialization, Intellectual Disciplines
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link-springer-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Malaysia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A