ABSTRACT

Preparation for the viva starts when begin to study for the whole examination. There are two phases–‘early’ and ‘late’. In this early phase, the emphasis is on acquiring knowledge. The key is to have insight into the topics of ‘high yield’ and spend more time on these topics and less on those that are unlikely to be encountered. Developing a system to hone this insight is key, especially when the examination dates loom close and increasing stress levels make the task more haphazard and less efficient. The Yerkes–Dodson Law or the stress/performance curve, is a well-studied topic in various human endeavours. At its essence this law merely states that initially performance improves with increasing levels of ‘stress’ or ‘arousal’. A natural corollary of this fact is that in a very stressful situation, such as a post-graduate examination, candidates will continue to perform well at a task that is ‘easy’ for them.