Category Archives: Workshops & Training

Development Day for Pre-Transfer Research Students

Are you a UN research student between APG Registration and Transfer? If so, the Graduate School are running a development day for you on Tuesday, 28 January 2014 from 09:15 to 16:30 in MY120 in the Avenue Research Centre. Read the rest of this entry

Introductory SPSS Workshops for research students

On Monday 2nd December Paul Rice from CfAP is running the first of a series of two workshops on SPSS, specifically for research students with little or no experience of the software.

Introduction to SPSS will focus on the basic elements of quantitative research and the issues that should be considered in data analysis. The workshop will cover types of data, how this data can be entered into SPSS and will end with examining descriptive statistics. This is an application orientated session and the approach will be practical. No prior knowledge is required.

Title of workshop: SPSS part 1: Introduction to SPSS.
Where? Grendon 152, Grendon IT Centre, Park Campus
When? Monday, 2 December 2013 from 17:00 to 19:00

The follow on workshop Basic Inferential Statistics in SPSS will be held on 16th December.

Qualitative methodology days for research students

Graduate School WorkshopsDr Jane Callaghan will be running two 2-day workshops in qualitative methods in February and May 2014.

On February 4th-5th, Jane will be running a workshop on “Doing Discourse”, exploring the theoretical underpinnings of a discursive approach to qualitative analysis. Discursive analysis can be applied to text, visual images and ethnographic material. Throughout the two days, students will explore how language, space and visual material intersect in the production of discursive practice.

The second workshop, on May 13th-14th, will explore different forms of interpretation in qualitative research. Students will draw on phenomenological approaches, and Interpretive Interactionism, to work with a range of textual, visual and spatial materials.

Both workshops are ready for booking. They will be open to students outside of UoN so do book soon, as there are limited places. Further details can be found below, just click on the course titles for more information and to book:

Doing Discourse: 2-day workshop: Tuesday, 4 February and Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Doing Interpretive Qualitative Research: 2-day workshop: Tuesday, 13 May and Wednesday, 14 May 2014

SPECTROstar Nano machine training

moultonSubmitted by Wanda McCormick, Moulton College

On Wed 20th November 2-3pm, discipline-based training on the use of Moulton’s SPECTROstar Nano machine will take place. Research students from other Schools, for whom this is relevant, are invited to attend. The training will take place in lab H6 (Holcot site, gate 3) but please email Wanda to express an interest in attending. Read the rest of this entry

Workshop: ‘Seven secrets’ for research students

Kearns2On 11th February 2014, we have an excellent external trainer coming to the University to run an afternoon workshop for research students. Hugh Kearns is a lecturer and researcher at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, and regularly lectures at universities across the world, including Oxford, Harvard and Stanford. We are fortunate enough to have been able to book him!

From 13:30-16:30 Hugh will be running “The Seven Secrets of Successful Research Students“. This workshop describes the key habits that Hugh’s research and experience with thousands of students shows will make a difference to how quickly and easily students complete a research degree. Just as importantly, these habits can greatly reduce the stress and increase the pleasure involved in completing. Read the rest of this entry

“Seven secrets of highly successful research students” workshop

Kearns2On 11th February 2014, Hugh Kearns, lecturer and researcher at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, will be visiting the University of Northampton to run some development sessions for Supervisors and Research Students. Still places left! Read the rest of this entry

Workshop on ‘managing your research data’ this Thursday!

graduate_school_monoDo you need advice & guidance on managing your research data? If so, book your place on the Graduate School’s next workshop on Thursday 7th November 10:30-2pm, in the T-Pod, Rockingham Library, Park Campus. The workshop also includes a free lunch!

Dr Miggie Pickton will explain the importance of actively managing your research data and she will address the key issues and challenges in data management. You will also have the opportunity to use a data management planning tool.

The workshop is for research students and research staff at the University of Northampton. So whether you are studying for a PhD, are a member of University staff who has just completed a doctorate, or are a researcher in the early stages of your career, you are welcome to sign up. Go to 

https://resdatanov13.eventbrite.co.uk/

or email Simone to book your place.

New research students join the Graduate School

Inductoct13A four day induction from 14th-17th October saw the Graduate School welcome a further 25 research degree students to the University of Northampton. Over the four days the students, from a wide range of disciplines, were introduced to the resources and services offered by the Graduate School and other departments across the University. They had the opportunity to present their research to each other and were given a warm welcome by University Services, Research Degree Boards and existing research students alike.

Many of our new research students are working professionals and academics, or are studying part time. Induction aims to welcome all new students, helping them to feel part of the University and giving them the perfect grounding for the long research degree road ahead.

Workshops for Early Career Researchers

The University of Northampton Graduate School are running an ECR Development Programme for staff who are “early-career researchers*.  We kick off on October 24th with Professor Ian Livingstone’s ‘What it means  to be a researcher’. All workshops are free to attend and all include lunch.

* For the purposes of this programme, we define early-career researchers as those members of University staff who are post-docs, have just completed a PhD, contract researchers, research assistants or research fellows in the early stages of their career

’23 things’ for research

Dr Scott Turner has just drawn my attention to this latest iteration of the ’23 things’ programme: 23 things for research.

The original ’23 things’ programme was designed by Helene Blowers at the public library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County in North Carolina.  Its purpose was to introduce participants to new and emerging technologies.  The programme involved a series of 23 tasks or ‘things’, each related to the use of a new tool or service, and lasted nine weeks.  As they used the new tools, particpants were expected to maintain a reflective blog on their experiences (Wilkinson and Cragg, 2010, p.29).

This version, ’23 things for research’, is organised by the University of Oxford and aims to “expose you to a range of digital tools that could help you in your personal and professional development as a researcher, academic, student or in another role” (Bodleian Libraries, 2012). It is open to non-Oxford folk.

Read the rest of this entry