The Research Support and Training Team provides a wide range of training sessions, some of which are compulsory. Your faculty will also provide other training events (RDCS and the Research Support and Training Team within it are central support services, working closely with, but independent of the four academic faculties). If you are unsure which training events you need to attend, you are advised to speak to your Supervisory Team / Professional Doctorate Programme Director or Faculty Director of Research Students.
Your research degree studies take place within a framework of continuing training and development, designed to enhance your experience, research and transferable skills. In order to make best use of these opportunities you should consider how and why you are undertaking training and record the sessions, seminars and workshops you attend, for example, to include in your CV. For more information about this please click on Planning Your Research Training.
Details of the compulsory and additional training opportunities available for research students and research supervisors follow below. As well as these, students and supervisors can access an online suite of training courses provided by Epigeum and attend training programmes facilitated directly by their faculty and human resources.
We are running some new briefing sessions for supervisors to introduce them to the compulsory and additional training sessions for their research students.
Please book as far in advance as possible, and be aware that if you book with less than 24 hours notice, it may not be possible to process your booking before the start of the course.
If you require any of the booklets or other course materials in an alternative format (eg Braille, large print, audio or electronic), if you have special access or dietary needs, please give us as much notice as possible and no less than 2 weeks to allow us time to make the necessary arrangements.
We will send you joining information including a programme if applicable prior to the start of the course which will contain details of venue, any preparatory work etc. If you find that you are unable to attend a course that you have reserved for, please could you let us know at least one week beforehand, so that your place can then be offered to hose on the waiting list.
Please contact research.training@anglia.ac.uk if you have any other queries or any comments about the training programme.
We look forward to meeting you at one of our training events.
Compulsory Research Skills Training for Students |
Additional Research Skills Training for Students |
Research Supervisor Development |
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Selecting a Conference, Presenting & Networking (Epigeum) |
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Introduction to Methodology and Philosophy of Social Science Research |
*Epigeum online training also available |
Research as a Contribution to Academic and Professional Practice |
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*Epigeum online training also available |
Research Integrity (Epigeum) |
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Intellectual Property (IP) in the Research Context (Epigeum) |
Managing your Research Supervisor (Epigeum) |
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This training is compulsory for all Research Degree Students and should be completed at the appropriate stage.
This one-day session is designed to equip you with the knowledge that you will require to successfully undertake your doctoral studies. It provides an introduction to postgraduate research, including the background and history of the doctoral qualification and the pathway to gaining your award. It explains the framework within which you will progress, and discusses the role and responsibilities of your supervisors and yourself as a doctoral student. It provides an overview of the support available within Anglia Ruskin University, such as the training sessions and support provided by Research, Development and Commercial Services (RDCS), and the University Library. It also raises awareness of issues you may need to consider such as research ethics and intellectual property rights. Here is the Stage 1 Workbook 2012-13
Stage 1 also includes the online Epigeum skills training course: Intellectual Property (IP) in the Research Context. For more information please see the Epigeum page. An awareness of Intellectual Property and its related issues is essential for researchers. This compulsory online course is a short introduction to the topic and aims to give you a knowledge of the key areas that affect you as a researcher. Stage 1 generic training is only complete once you have passed this online course.
This one-day session is intended to help you develop and practice your presentation skills in a safe and supportive environment. In the morning, we introduce and discuss different presentation styles and forums. During the afternoon, we ask all participants to deliver a four-minute presentation (which you will have prepared in advance) about your research, and others in the group will provide constructive feedback and critique. It is an excellent opportunity for you to share your ideas and learn from others’ experiences. You are required to prepare a four-minute presentation about your research in advance of this session. Here is the Stage 2A Workbook 2012-13.
This one-day session focusses on the academic writing process. We look at the way that meaning is expressed, and the decisions that we need to make in order to communicate our ideas effectively through our writing. The requirements and conventions around writing for your doctoral thesis are also explored. The session provides an opportunity for you to reflect on your own writing, to share your ideas and experiences, and to consider how you might refine your approach.
You should register for this session when you are approaching the Confirmation of Candidature stage of your doctoral studies (see the Research Degree Regulations for details, or seek advice from your supervisor). Professional Doctorate candidates should register for this session would find it helpful to attend this training earlier, to support the written papers in Stage I of the Professional Doctorate. Here is the Stage 2B Workbook 2012-13.
This one-day session is intended to help you prepare for the submission of your thesis, and for your viva voce examination. We explore the requirements for and process of submission, the protocols, conventions and conduct of the viva examination, and the range and scope of the questions that may be asked. The session also includes a simulated viva examination, so that you can see how a 'real' viva is conducted. The session will enable you to gain a focus on the submission and examination process, and help you plan for all of the work you need to complete leading up to submission of your thesis, as well as, of course, to prepare for the day of your viva itself.
You should register for this session when you enter your writing-up period: i.e. in the space after Confirmation of Candidature, but certainly well before you submit your thesis for examination. Here is the Stage 3 Workbook 2012-13.
All new research degree students must attend either ‘Introduction to Research Ethics and Integrity (in Human Research)’ training or pass the online Epigeum course: Ethics 1. Students whose research requires ethical approval must also pass the online Epigeum course Ethics 2 or an equivalent course approved by the Chair of the appropriate Faculty Research Ethics Panel.
This half-day session provides an introduction to some of the main ethical issues relating to research. It examines the significance of recent legislation in relation to research ethics, and provides an example of how ethical problems can be resolved once they are identified. It introduces the process for ethical approval, and the criteria that make for a successful application.
For further details please see the Epigeum page
For further details please see the Epigeum page
All new research degree students are required to pass the online Epigeum course: Intellectual Property (IP) in the Research Context. For further details please see the Epigeum page.
This session is compulsory for any research student planning to teach who has not undertaken approved training. Please note that you need to attend throughout all three days of the workshop in order to pass the course.
This three-day session is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills you will need to teach successfully. It will introduce you to planning learning activities and study programmes; teaching and learner support; undertaking assessment and providing feedback, support and guidance; integrating your research and scholarship with your teaching; and evaluating your practice and further professional development needs. Candidates may choose to submit an assessment to be considered for a certificate from the Staff Educational Development Association (SEDA). This session (formerly known as Training for Research Students who Teach) is led by Dr. Jaki Lilly, Anglia Learning and Teaching.
Please email research.training@anglia.ac.uk to go on the waiting list and if sufficient requests are received, a further course will be scheduled.
This half-day session focusses on the planning and production of posters, which are becoming an increasingly common means for research to be presented at conferences. We will explore what constitutes a research poster, and what you need to consider when designing your poster, and presenting it at a conference. Each year research degree students have the opportunity to present their posters at our Annual Research Student Conference, and the best are awarded prizes. The procedure for submitting your poster for the conference is discussed. Prize-winning posters from past research student conferences are available for you to view.
First, we shall look at what we mean by 'research' in general. Is 'research' simply a matter of 'searching', or looking for answers to questions or solutions to problems? Or do we want a much more comprehensive definition such as a 'systematic and sustained enquiry carried out to answer some specific type of question'?
Second, we shall discuss questions about whether social science can actually guarantee achieving an understanding of the really real or the truly true and whether its various methods or processes or procedures can be trusted.
Successfully bidding for research funding is an increasingly important part of being an academic. In this workshop we will discuss the basics of research funding:
* what research funding is;
* funding opportunities for early career researchers;
* the main funders and what they fund;
* how to translate your ideas into a bid.
The ability to conduct analysis of quantitative data within packages such as SPSS is dependent upon an understanding of the statistical analysis procedures involved. A good analogy is with driving a motor vehicle. It is ok to know how to drive, but you need to know where you want the vehicle to take you and the best route. This session aims to equip participants with knowledge of the most common forms of statistical data analysis.
The knowledge gained should enable participants to understand:
* what kinds of analysis they need for their own research
* the issues that should control selection of appropriate techniques
* how to use relevant basic techniques
Intending participants will find it most useful if they can send an outline of their research project in advance, if possible highlighting and explaining what kinds of statistical analysis they have considered using.
This half-day workshop provides an introduction to Mindfulness, a technique which helps us relate more calmly to everyday problems and challenges by bringing us into present-moment reality and reducing reactivity. As an approach, it is becoming well-established in the field of stress reduction and general health: specialist research shows that regular practice strengthens, amongst other things, attention, memory, learning, emotional flexibility, and problem solving. Three central themes are explored through practice, exercises and discussion: concentration (learning to steady and focus our attention); mindfulness (attending to whatever arises in our experience in the present moment) and kindness (extending friendship to ourselves and what we experience). This session will allow you to experience some simple Mindfulness practices and look at how they can support you personally in your life and work as a researcher. Expect to have a relaxing time, but also meet a few challenges, and learn something about yourself too!
This workshop provides an overview of mixed methods which have become a well-established approach in the social sciences. The session will start with a lecture on mixed methods followed by two presentations dealing with the application of mixed methods and a group discussion on mixed methods.* It is recommended that students who have participated before join the workshop in the afternoon as the morning sessions have been presented in previous years.
Programme
10.00 Welcome and registration
10.15 -11.15 Lecture on mixed methods (Dr Claudia Schneider)
11.15 – 11.30 Short break
11.30 -13.00 ‘An example of a sequential exploratory mixed methods study’ (Dr Julie Smith)
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 15.15 ‘Collecting (unexpected) qualitative data during structured Interviewing’ (Dr Sarah Burch)
15.15 – 15.30 Short break
15.30 – 16.30 Group discussion (Dr Claudia Schneider)*
* please have a look at Greene, J. (2008) Is Mixed Methods Social Inquiry a Distinctive Methodology? Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 2 no. 1: pp. 7-22
This is a hands-on two-hour session in which you will practice importing documents into NVivo and coding them to organise and manage data. Unfortunately it is not possible to work with your own project data but you will be provided with practice documents.
The session begins with a brief explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of NVivo and the types of project for which it is, or might not be, best suited. The topics covered include importing data, creating cases and applying attributes, matrix searching, coding data, nodes, search, autocode and other searches.
This session sets out the different avenues for disseminating research whilst writing/completing a thesis, including where to look for these opportunities and the advantages and disadvantages of each. This session is run back-to-back with Writing and Presenting Conference Papers – please see below for details.
The aim of this session is to explore your options after you have completed your MPhil/Doctorate and to be able to adopt good job searching skills and be able to analyse your own interests and abilities.
Drawing from the lecturer’s experience, this session covers preparation for the viva from choosing examiners right up to sitting in the room with them.
Find out how to apply the basic techniques of project management to help plan and deliver your PhD. Skills covered include project scoping, task scheduling, risk assessment and time management. The session includes plenty of opportunity to practice applying the techniques to your own situation and is especially useful for those in the early stages of their PhD journey, but please also feel free to come along if you would like to refresh your project management skills at any stage of your research.
The linked sessions provide a detailed overview of qualitative methodologies and methods. They are highly relevant for students thinking about using qualitative forms of analysis in their research.
Qualitative Methods 1 and 2: In these linked sessions, students will explore key ideas concerning the nature of qualitative analysis. Different methodological approaches will be considered. Students will be asked to reflect on how qualitative analysis can support the development of their research.
Qualitative Methods 3 and 4: Students will explore the use of different methods in qualitative research. These will include interviews, questionnaire, observations and documentary analysis.
Data Collection and Qualitative Analysis 1 and 2: In the final two sessions of the series, students will look at different approaches and concepts to support the collection and analysis of qualitative data.
Much advice about reading and assessing literature for research purposes is of the ‘be critical…but not destructively so’ variety (see Blaxter et al. 1996: 112). This helps a little but not a lot. It is more important for students to realize that criticism is actually about putting their own work within the context provided by other researchers and writers in the field and by noting their strengths and weaknesses. This means that students should usually avoid the extremes of either blindly accepting what others have argued and concluded or completely rejecting their methods and findings. Criticism is better for being an exercise in evaluation and judgement which carefully assesses arguments used, underlying assumptions made, the accuracy of data collected and the interpretations offered. The session will encourage students to develop their understanding of how to read research critically by helping them analyse their own critical stance towards the literature.
This is a two-hour session designed to introduce you to RefWorks, an online research management, writing and collaboration tool. It helps researchers at all levels easily gather, organise, store and share information and to instantly generate citations and bibliographies.
During this session you will set up a RefWorks account and start creating your personal database. You will learn basic elements such as adding references to your database, creating folders for your references, citing references in a Word document and producing a quick reference list. This session is facilitated by the University Library
This is a two-hour session designed for those who are already using RefWorks. In addition to providing a refresher, you will explore in detail some of the more advanced tools RefWorks has to offer. This session is facilitated by the University Library.
A practical review of the way in which research design helps us maintain the integrity of our research. The session will explore the various decisions we need to make about research design, the factors we need to consider, and how we can use design skills to scope, refine and plan our work and keep it on track. The session is intended to be useful for all stages of project work, and you are welcome to bring research design queries to the session.
Research Students are expected to attend this annual event. Students have the opportunity to present papers and posters about their research. Please click the link above for further information.
This is a one-hour briefing session to introduce the Researcher Development Framework (RDF). The RDF is a major new approach to researcher development, which aims to enhance the UK research base and its workforce, and to develop world-class researchers, both inside and outside the higher education sector. It provides a common UK framework which sets out the skills, knowledge and attributes of successful researchers, and enables self-assessment to identify strengths and development needs. All postgraduate research degree students are required to use the RDF mechanism to plan, map and monitor their skills and career development.
This week (Monday 13 May 2013 to Saturday 18 May 2013), held on the Chelmsford campus, provides International Students with the opportunity to attend a number of our training sessions in a set number of days rather than spread throughout the year to take into account their need to travel long distances. We provide all the 3-Stage generic skills training although advise that students needing to do the Stage 1, Stage 2A and Stage 2B do not also do Stage 3 as this is not needed until much further along in their research. We also provide Ethics, NVivo, Project Management, RDF, RefWorks (Getting Started and Existing Users), SPSS and Statistics. See the separate descriptions of each course on this page for further details.
Please note: Using Statistics for Researchers on 26 April 2013 follows on from this session
Topics to be covered in each session are as follows:
Session 1: Presentation of statistical data, Measure of central tendency, Measures of dispersion, Introduction to probability, the Normal distribution
Session 2: Estimation of population values from sample data, Estimate of standard deviation of population, Confidence limits and intervals for population mean, Estimation from small samples
Session 3: Hypothesis testing, 2 tail and 1 tail tests, Significance levels, Dealing with small samples, Comparison of 2 means, Observed significance level, Comparing more than 2 means (analysis of variance)
Session 4: Correlation, Linear regression, Correlation coefficient, Coefficient of determination, Rank correlation
Please note: This follows on from the Statistics session on 18 March 2013
This event provides an opportunity for us to welcome you to Anglia Ruskin University and for you to meet staff and other doctoral candidates. We provide a very brief introduction to the research degree pathway and key information that you will need to be aware of. We will also assist you with any queries you may have regarding practical issues and matters such as visas or accommodation. This session is facilitated by Research, Development and Commercial Services (RDCS) and the Head of the International Student Advice Service.
This session explains the advantages of presenting at conferences and covers how to write an abstract/proposal, the differences between thesis and conference paper writing, and how to prepare to deliver a paper. This session runs back-to-back with Opportunities for Publishing, please see further up for more details.
These hour-long sessions are designed to advise research supervisors about the RDCS training sessions and which of these are compulsory. It is also an opportunity to discuss other training and general support provided by RDCS, and any other issues that supervisors would like to raise.
Unless they are granted exemption by the Faculty Director of Research, all First Supervisors are required to either attend 'Introduction to Research Ethics and Integrity' training or pass the online Epigeum course: 'Ethics 1 – Good Research Practice'. In addition, First Supervisors must also pass the online Epigeum course: 'Ethics 2 – Working with Human Subjects'.
This half-day session provides an introduction to some of the main ethical issues relating to research. It examines the significance of recent legislation in relation to research ethics, and provides an example of how ethical problems can be resolved once they are identified. It introduces the process for ethical approval, and the criteria that make for a successful application.
For further details please see the Epigeum page
For further details please see the Epigeum page
There is an increasing emphasis on sharing publicly-funded research data (for example, in a repository). Such is the potential for digital curation to add value at each stage of the research lifecycle, that this is fast becoming a requirement of successful funding bids. The Digital Curation Centre (DCC) provides expert advice and practical help to anyone in UK higher education and research wanting to store, manage, protect and share digital research data. The DCC will be running this session for us on managing and sharing data, with reference to both the EPSRC’s requirements and more general principles.
The intention for this workshop is to offer supervisors space to explore the process and experience of supervision. It brings together two approaches: first, it will introduce Egan's 3-stage 'skilled helper' model which provides a framework for working with people to identify opportunities and solve problems; and second, it will take a Mindfulness-based approach to exploring the 'helper skills' identified by Egan as necessary to the process. Using the Egan model therefore as a map for exploring the developmental territory of supervision, we will bring Mindfulness to exploring the range of skills we use in this context. The session will be experiential and collaborative.
To book on the ProgressPlatform sessions, please contact paula.gardiner@anglia.ac.uk
Chelmsford:
Tuesday 4 June 2013 1015-1115, 1130-1230, 1315-1415, 1430-1530
Tuesday 18 June 2013 1015-1115, 1130-1230, 1315-1415, 1430-1530
Tuesday 25 June 2013 1015-1115, 1130-1230, 1315-1415, 1430-1530
Cambridge:
Wednesday 26 June 2013 1015-1115, 1130-1230, 1315-1415, 1430-1530
Thursday 27 June 2013 1315-1415, 1430-1530
Friday 28 June 2013 1015-1115, 1130-1230, 1315-1415, 1430-1530
This is a one-hour briefing session to introduce the Researcher Development Framework (RDF). The RDF is a major new approach to researcher development, which aims to enhance the UK research base and its workforce, and to develop world-class researchers, both inside and outside the higher education sector. It provides a common UK framework which sets out the skills, knowledge and attributes of successful researchers, and enables self-assessment to identify strengths and development needs. All postgraduate research degree students are required to use the RDF mechanism to plan, map and monitor their skills and career development.
Research Supervisors need to attend this at least once every three years. Please click here for further information.
This course is compulsory for new research supervisors, supervisors transferring from other universities and external supervisors.
This two-day programme is designed to enable staff to supervise a research student(s) and/or to update experienced supervisors on Anglia Ruskin’s practices and processes in implementing our Research Degrees Regulations and our Senate Code of Practice on Postgraduate Research programmes. Please note that the Research Degrees Regulations require supervisors to have undertaken recent relevant continuing professional development.