Category Archives: Support
LearnTech news: technology for research
The monthly LearnTech newsletter has just arrived in my mailbox and although its focus is learning and teaching, I can see a few items that might also have an application in research. They are all described on the LearnTech blog:
Re-launch of the Supervisor’s Forum
(posted on behalf of Dr Ali Al-Sherbaz, Dr Wanda McCormick and Dr David Preece)
We are re-launching the University’s PhD Supervisor’s Forum.
The purpose of the forum is to enable doctoral supervisors to meet with colleagues from within and outside their disciplines, to share ideas and practice, to problem-solve with peers, to network and to have a nice lunch. Read the rest of this entry
Research degree board and research ethics committee deadlines 2013-14
Here are the deadlines for submission of papers to Research Degrees Boards and Research Ethics Committee. These will be strictly observed in order to allow board and committee members sufficient time to read papers in advance of the meetings. Papers arriving after the deadline will be deferred to the next meeting.
Deadline date: Meeting date:
2 September 2013 11-12 September 2013
14 October 2013 30-31 October 2013
16 December 2013 8-9 January 2014
3 February 2013 12-13 February 2014
17 March 2014 26-27 March 2014
19 May 2014 28-29 May 2014
The Student Toolkit will be updated to include these dates shortly. The Student Toolkit details the requirements for all of the processes and links to all relevant forms and guidance.
What do you think of the Research Support Hub?
Six months have passed since we officially ‘launched’ the Research Support Hub in October 2012. In that time the Hub has:
- published over 270 items on topics of interest to Northampton researchers
- publicised more than 100 training sessions and events
- shared over 175 funding opportunities
- applied over 250 different tags to describe and group this information in a meaningful way
- been viewed over 11,000 times by readers from more than 100 countries
- moved to the first result (out of 111 million) on a Google search for Research Support Hub
But how has it been for you?
Do you find the Hub useful? Are we writing about matters that interest you? Would you like to see more of some topics, or less of others?
After six months it is timely that we review the use of the Research Support Hub and ask our readers what they really, really want. To this end, please feel free to write a comment about this article, or contact one of the contributors directly.
All ideas will be gratefully received.
Improve your research skills with a little help from CfAP
Choosing the right tool to analyse your data or finding the best way to structure your findings can be a fraught process. However help is on hand from the Centre for Achievement and Performance – otherwise known as CfAP.
CfAP exists to help all students, including those doing research degrees, achieve their academic potential:
“If you were training for the Olympics you may need to work on aspects of weight, speed or flexibility to improve your performance and to gain insights into how your body works. Visiting CfAP should be regarded in a similar way – you wish to work on aspects of your academic work to improve your performance and to gain a better understanding of how you learn. As with athletes, taking responsibility for your own development leads to success.”
(Sandy Gilkes, National Teaching Fellow)
CfAP staff have recently created a new site on NILE; it is open to everyone and there is no need to enrol. The site contains a huge range of materials to support all aspects of academic endeavour. Read the rest of this entry
Don’t Track Me, Google: a plugin to reclaim your search URLs
I had a problem this afternoon: searching for details on a conference from the distant past, I hit Google and found a link to a Word document with the conference programme. I wanted to email this link to someone, and that’s when the problem appeared: I couldn’t. Here’s what I discovered, and what I discovered I could do about it.
Posthumous Posterous: the importance of the exit strategy
I this post I discuss the imminent closure of the Posterous blogging service, and the wider topic of what happens to your data when a tool you rely on is killed off (or, perhaps, you grow out of it and want to move elsewhere). I’ll take a look at the export options for various major online tools that researchers may be likely to use, and suggest a few things to check for when you’re starting out (or if you’re already knee-deep in published content).
Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards – Deadline 22 March 2013
The Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards for 2013 offer a fantastic opportunity for students and graduates. The aim of the awards is to offer increased support in the form of funding for young entrepreneurs who have either recently graduated from or who are still studying at Santander Partner Universities. As well as providing cash investment to assist with ideas and business, the winners will also receive valuable press coverage through the recognition received from this initiative.
To find out the eligibility criteria and how to apply, go to:
Library & Learning Services (LLS) Advisory Panel
Avenue Library
As part of our commitment to meeting the real needs of students we want to recruit Advisors to sit on a new LLS Advisory Panel, where you will help to shape the services, resources, environments and future of LLS.
Commitment would be mainly via a NILE forum, where we would ask for comments on a wide range of issues, but we will also hold occasional, informal Panel lunches. Discussion points might cover anything from the split between silent and group work areas in library buildings, opening hours, e-books versus print, how we communicate with students, how best to target study and information skills sessions or what makes a good NILE site.
No special qualifications are needed and you will not be representing anyone’s views but your own. All we ask is that you are interested in shaping how we support your studies and are committed to joining in the discussion.
So, if you would like to make a difference and enhance your cv at the same time, please give your name and email address to the desks at either library or email Chris Powis, Head of Library and Learning Services (chris.powis@northampton.ac.uk) to register your interest.
UON Graduate School Blog 