Blog Archives
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.
New bibliometrics workshop: What can it do for you?
Would you like to know how to use bibliometrics to evaluate the performance of other researchers and to increase the impact of your own work? Dr Miggie Pickton and Nick Dimmock from Research Support will be running a 2 hour workshop, on Tuesday 22nd January 5-7pm at Avenue campus, on bibliometrics and how to apply it.
Bibliometrics (or the statistical analysis of published literature) has come to the fore recently as a method for assessing research performance. Citation analysis in particular is now used to rank articles, journals, authors and even universities.
Are you doing your research degree part-time?
If so, you may be interested in attending a free Vitae Part-Time Researcher day on Friday February 1st, organised by and held at the University of Birmingham in Edgbaston. Supported by Simone Apel from the University of Northampton, the day will feature facilitated discussion on the ethos and processes of studying for a part-time research degree, two skills workshops, the opportunity to network with other part-time students and hear the experiences of part-time doctoral graduates. Question and answer sessions will provide the perfect arena for problem and solution dialogue and you will take away some immediate plans for action.
This workshop, designed by Vitae, has received excellent feedback. Comments on the March 2011 workshop at the University of Nottingham include, “I highly recommend Vitae and strongly encourage other part-time researchers to make the best of this (free) opportunity. Don’t miss this!”
For more information or to book go to the Vitae Part-Time Researcher Webpage.
Happy New year! Our January workshops…
Happy new year to all research students and staff.
We have five Graduate School Workshops running this month…book your place now.
10 January [5-7pm] Grounded Theory, Dr Jane Callaghan.
16 January [10am-12:30pm] Building your Professional Website,
Rob Farmer.
22 January [5-7pm] What can bibliometrics do for you?
Dr Miggie Pickton and Nick Dimmock.
24 January [11am-1:30pm] Careers / Employer session,
University careers service.
24 January [4:30-6:30pm] Advanced statistics drop-in clinic,
Prof Jackie Campbell & Dr Roz Phillips.
Read the rest of this entry
Thriving in Research and Professional Collaborations: A Collaborative Learning Lab
Working within or developing successful interdisciplinary collaborations, research groups or supervisory relationships is at the heart of professional development for scientists today. Yet, with the growing complexity and demands on research collaborations, daily challenges have increased significantly. At stake here are innovation, societal and research impact of science, as well as the research efficiency, motivation, inspiration, fulfillment, employability and well-being of researchers.
Vitae presents an intensive two-day professional development and Collaborative Learning Lab for scientists on
Thursday 17 & Friday 18 January 2013 in Oxford. The event will offer cutting edge insights and hands-on tools in building effective and fulfilling collaborations, research groups and knowledge-exchange partnerships.
This Collaborative Learning Lab is particularly suitable for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and principal investigators who work within groups or some form of supervisory relationships, or with colleagues from other disciplines, sectors or institutions. Read the rest of this entry
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) – Training Opportunity.
There is an opportunity for us to run some training on IPA in 2013, in the form of a workshop.
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is an experiential qualitative approach to research in psychology, health and social sciences. It was developed by Jonathan Smith, Professor of Psychology, Birkbeck University of London.
If anyone is interested in attending a training workshop please email Simone Apel.
Rewind! Missed any workshops/training? Online resources now available.
If you are distance learner or you missed any Graduate School workshops or Induction sessions, this is a reminder that you can catch up using NILE.
You can access resources on the Graduate School Nile site “RES001: Postgraduate Research Training”.
After logging into NILE and finding RES001, choose “Training Materials” from the left hand menu. You can then choose between:-
- Research Training Workshop Materials: Materials from 2012 and earlier.
- Saturday Schools: Resources from the 8th December 2012 Saturday School.
- Induction materials: Materials relating to Induction – now updated to include October 2012 Induction.
New Q Methodology workshop in Feb 2013
Do you fancy learning about Q Methodology? Lecturer, author and Q expert Simon Watts is visiting the University to run a Q workshop on Wednesday, 20 February 2013 from 09:30 to 14:30 at MY120, Avenue Campus.
There are only 30 places, which will fill quickly, so go to Eventbrite now for more information and to book. Open to all PGR students studying at the University.
Interested in using focus groups in your research?
Do you need advice on how to set up focus groups, how to manage them, and how to analyse data from them?
If so, come along to Dr Jane Callaghan’s Focus Group workshop on Wednesday, 12 December from 17:00 to 18:30, in the T-Pod, Rockingham Library, Park Campus.
Book now on Eventbrite at http://focgrpdec12.eventbrite.co.uk/
