All Graduate College training will be delivered online during the academic year 2020/2021. 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 2020
Introduction to Research Impact: What, Who, Why, When, Where, How?
Date and time: 18 November 2020 from 11.00am - 12.00 noon
Location: Online via Google Meet Conferencing
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.
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The Viva Examination
Date and time: 19 November 2020
Location: Online - training material will be opened to all those who have registered for the session
Presenter: 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.
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Training to Enable Supervisors and Research Students to Develop Applications for Ethical Approval
Date and time: 2 December 2020, 11.00am -1.00pm
Location: Online via Google Meet Conferencing
Presenter: Dr Sarah Quinton, Chair of the University's Research Ethics Committee
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.
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Tackling the writing up stage of the research degree
Date and time: 9 December 2020
Location: Online - access to the training materials will be given to all those who register for this session
Presenter: 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.
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Time Management: planning your research degree and keeping up momentum
Date and time: 16 December 2020 from 10.00am - 12.00 noon
Location: Online via Google Meet Conferencing
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.
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Semester 2 2021
Publishing your research data: with particular focus on Oxford Brookes' institutional repository RADAR
Date and time: 3 March 2021 between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online via Google Meet Conferencing
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, and licencing affect the publishing of research data.
Presenters: Daniel Croft, Scholarly Communications and Research Team Leader, Oxford Brookes Library
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Research degrees – strategies for successful part-time study
Date and time: 24 March 2021, between 10.00am - 11.00am
Location:Online - via Google Meet Conferencing
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.
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Managing your Supervisor and building a good working relationship with your supervisory team
Date and time: 7 April 2021 - between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online - via Google Meet Conferencing
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.
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The Viva Examination
Date and time: 28 July 2021
Location: Online - access to the training materials will be given to all those who register for this session
Presenter: 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.
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Communicating your findings: publishing, Open Access, metrics and impact
Date and time: 7 July 2021 - between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Location: Online - via Google Meet Conferencing
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'.
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