All Graduate College training will be delivered online during the academic year 2021/2022. Please register for the sessions you would like to complete and you will be given access to the online training material on the day the training has been scheduled.
Semester 1 2021
Introduction to Research Impact: What, Who, Why, When, Where, How?
Date and time: 17 November 2021 from 11.00am - 12.00 noon
Location: The Live Online session will take place via Google Meet Conferencing - a Google email invitation will be sent to all those who have registered for the session
Presenter: Dr Dana Vilistere, Research Impact Officer, RDBO
Description: The ability to identity, develop and achieve potential benefits and beneficiaries of research has become an essential factor in securing funding from the Government, Research Councils UK, and other UK funders, as well as from various European funding sources. This session will help researchers to develop their understanding of how their research may have an impact in wider context and to begin the process of planning activities to achieve it.
The Viva Examination
Date and time: 18 November 2021
Location: Online - This session will comprise of online training materials only - links to the training materials will be sent by email to all those who have registered for the session
Produced by: Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Description: Most students find the idea of the viva rather scary! This session is aimed at all those who will be facing their viva in the near future, but may also be helpful to research students at earlier stages in their studies, who are not sure what is involved. It clarifies what the University regulations say is required. It also demystifies the process by outlining what is going on behind the scenes, what the examiners are looking for and what procedures they are following. It also provides practical and useful advice about what you can do to make the process as painless and successful as possible.
Training to Enable Supervisors and Research Students to Develop Applications for Ethical Approval
Date and time: 1 December 2021, 11.00am -12.30pm
Location: Online via Google Meet Conferencing -email Google invitations will be sent out to all those who have registered for the session and the link to the online material will be sent in advance of the live online session.
Presenter: Professor David Evans, Chair of the University's Research Ethics Committee and Dr Robyn Curtis, Research Ethics and Integrity Officer
Description: Any research project that involves the study of humans (even simply interviewing human subjects) or examination of biological samples (such as blood or tissue samples) taken from humans cannot begin without specific Ethics Committee permission. This session explains how to apply for permission through UREC, the University's Research Ethics Committee. It is essential for anyone who is likely to be working with human subjects or materials and may be of general interest to others.
Tackling the writing up stage of the research degree
Date and time: 8 December 2021
Session information: access to the Online Training materials will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session. There is no live element to this session.
Produced by: Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Description: It is never too early to start thinking about writing your thesis and many students find the idea extremely daunting. While this session is particularly helpful for those about to begin or are in the midst of writing, it may also be helpful to research students at every stage of their studies. It is always good to know what you are aiming for! The session clarifies what the University regulations say is required and provides hints and tips for successful and timely completion. It is an opportunity to ask questions and get some impartial advice as well as sharing experiences and concerns with other research students.
Time Management: planning your research degree and keeping up momentum
Date and time: 15 December 2021 from 10.00am - 12.00 noon
Location: Live Online session will be held via Google Meet Conferencing - the link to this live event will be sent by email to all those who register for this session
Presenter: Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Description: One of the key skills to successfully completing a research degree is good time management. The research student needs to balance the many facets of their programme with the many other things going on in their lives, meet multiple and complex deadlines, and finally submit their thesis on time. It is quite a juggling act! And it can be very stressful trying to get everything right. This very practical session looks at the research degree as a 'project' and explores strategies for managing that project. This includes using your time effectively to 'work smarter rather than harder' and to achieve a good 'work-life balance', reducing your stress in the process. Good time management will help you finish your research degree successfully. In addition, it is a very valuable 'transferable skill' in the workplace and will help you get the most out of all aspects of your life.
Semester 2 2022
Publishing your research data: with particular focus on Oxford Brookes' institutional repository RADAR
Date and time: 2 March 2022 between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Live event will be held Online via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session
This session offers an introduction to the idea of sharing the data that your research produces and how that can raise your research profile and benefit your discipline as a whole. It will also outline how the practical considerations of intellectual property, participant consent, data protection, embargoes, plagiarism, attribution and licencing affect the publishing of research data.
Presenter: Daniel Croft, Scholarly Communications and Research Team Leader, Oxford Brookes Library
Download the 'publishing your research data' presentation
Research degrees – strategies for successful part-time study
Date and time: 23 March 2022, between 3.00pm - 4.00pm
Location: Online - Live event will be held Online via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session
Presenter: Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Description: While studying for a research degree shares many common features, whether you are doing it full time or part time, part time students do face unique challenges. Part time students are often more mature and have more complicated lives than their full time counterparts. Some are returning to study after periods of time spent doing other things and many live geographically distant from the University, or are physically present on campus only occasionally. All share the issues inevitably associated with pursuing a research programme over an extended time period. This session explores some of these issues, is an opportunity for part time researchers to share their experiences, and looks at some practical strategies for successful part time study.
Keeping up to date with your research
Date and time: 30 March 2022, 1.00pm - 2.00pm.
Location: Live Online via Zoom
Presenter: Helen Whittaker, Academic Liaison Team Leader. Please email hkwhittaker@brookes.ac.uk for the Zoom link.
Description: Keeping up to date with the huge amount of information available to you can be overwhelming and challenging. This session provides tips and strategies for staying current in your area of research and managing your information. We will also look at key current awareness resources and tools.
Managing your Supervisor and building a good working relationship with your supervisory team
Date and time: 6 April 2022 - between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online - Live event will be held Online via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session
Presenter: Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Description: During your research degree, your Director of Studies is one of the most important people in your life and maintaining a good relationship with them and your supervisory team may be key to your success. In this session, we share aspects of good practice in maintaining a positive, useful and supportive relationship with your supervisors and getting the most out of them. We also explore strategies for what to do if things go wrong.
Endnote Training - Managing information overload
Date and time: 27 April - 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online via Google Meet Conferencing
Presenter: Helen Whittaker
Description: Managing information overload - this session provides an introduction to EndNote, a reference management service. Find out how to collect, store and manage your references efficiently and effectively using EndNote. Discover how to use Endnote with many databases and library catalogues to transfer references into your EndNote library and create bibliographies or reference lists formatted in the style of your choice. The session will also include tips on citing your references correctly.
A step by step guide to publishing your research findings
Date: 4 May 2022 - link will be shared with everyone who has registered
Pre-recorded online materials only - no live event
Having a strong publication record is crucial for academic success. In this presentation we will consider the range of skills you will need to successfully publish your research findings, from choosing the right publishing platform to producing a polished and professional manuscript. We will consider the value of getting, and responding to feedback on your writing, and suggest practical ways in which you find the time, space and motivation to focus on your writing.
Managing your research records and your data management plan
Date: 18 May 2022 - link will be shared with everyone who has registered
Pre-recorded online materials only - no live event
Whatever your discipline, you will keep records of your research and be required to produce a 'data management plan' for registration. In this presentation we consider the many different types of research records and 'data' that you might generate, and how you can plan carefully to capture, store and manage the outputs of your research throughout the lifecycle of your project.
Date and time: 18 May 2022 - Live via Google Meet from 1pm – 2pm
Location: Online – Live event will be held via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session. You can download an online video on copyright, 3rd party content and the electronic thesis below:
Download the 'online video on copyright' presentation
Presenter: Dan Croft, Learning Resources
Description: This session will look at the copyright implications of submitting the electronic version of your thesis. It will give you practical advice on how to deal with the use of other people's copyright material in your thesis (such as images). it will also cover how PhD theses are made available online via RADAR, the Brookes research archive.
How to get the most out of conferences
Date and time: 22 June 2022 - Live via Google Meet between 10.00am - 11.00am
Location: Online - Live event will be held Online via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session
Presenter: Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Many research students will have the opportunity to attend -- and perhaps to present their work -- at a conference. Conferences are a brilliant venue for raising your profile as a researcher and for networking, and it is really important that you make the most of the opportunity. In this presentation, we consider how to make the most of conferences and the opportunities they offer, including strategies for effective networking while you are there.
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Introduction to publishing journal articles
Date and time: 6 July 2022 - between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online - Live event will be held Online via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session
Presenter: Daniel Croft, Scholarly Communications and Research Team Leader
Description: This session will give you an overview of the publishing process and how the Open Access movement is driving changes in scholarly publishing. It will also introduce the ways in which the quality of research is sometimes assessed through research metrics and 'impact'.
Download the 'introduction to publishing journal articles' presentation
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Strategies for successful networking
Date and time: 13 July 2022 - between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online - Live event will be held Online via Google Meet Conferencing, a link to the live event will be sent by email to all those who have registered for this session
We are all aware that effective networking is an essential skill for a researcher and can contribute considerably to your career success whether you choose to stay within academia or seek a career in another field. However, networking is a professional skill that does not come easily to many, especially at the beginning of your research career. In this presentation, we will suggest some ways that you can strategically develop an effective professional network, and ways in which your supervisors can support you to do so in a practical way.
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Research integrity at Brookes - a brief guide to general principles
Date: 20 July 2022 - Online training materials only - no live event - the link to the online materials will be circulated to all those who have registered on the date of this session
As an academic community, Oxford Brookes University has a responsibility to encourage and nurture the highest possible standards of intellectual honesty and integrity. Here we introduce the basic principles around how Brookes expects you to plan and conduct your research, record and report your findings, and disseminate, apply and exploit the fruits of your research.
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The Viva Examination
Date and time: 27 July 2022
Location: Online Materials only - access to the online training materials sent by email to all those who register for this session
Produced by : Professor Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development
Description: Most students find the idea of the viva rather scary! This session is aimed at all those who will be facing their viva in the near future, but may also be helpful to research students at earlier stages in their studies, who are not sure what is involved. It clarifies what the University regulations say is required. It also demystifies the process by outlining what is going on behind the scenes, what the examiners are looking for and what procedures they are following. It also provides practical and useful advice about what you can do to make the process as painless and successful as possible.
Book »