Doctoral Training Workshops
An interdepartmental programme organised by MCT for
the Research Careers Development Team
Organised by Sue Oreszczyn, Dave Scott and
JuliusMugwagwa
Secretary: Wendy Morgan
Doctoral Training Workshops
• For PhD and Research Masters research students (nonScience emphasis)
• Run at Walton Hall for FT students,
but timing/scheduling to accommodate P/T students too
and we are working on distant access
• Workshops based around U501
training book plus additional sessions
• Built around key tasks you do in your
first year, (particularly MRes
dissertation and PhD probation report)
• Helps build contacts with other students
Sessions
• Nature of a Research
Degree
• Project Planning
• Literature Reviewing
• Writing tasks, critical
reading and literacy skills
• Building up research
support
• Ethical issues in research
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•
•
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Some specific methods
Interviewing skills
Presentation skills
Viva preparation (MRes
and PhD)
• Rooms vary (providing an opportunity to explore the
campus!!)
Student Conference
• Sessions in April/May on
preparing a conference
presentation
• Student conference on
May 12th and 13th where you
present your research plan
(links to PhD probation year report for and
dissertation plan for MRes students)
• Training Workshops Website
will be kept updated and emails on
each session sent to those who
attend
Getting Going
Draws on materials from Chapter 2 of
DPGR
In groups consider:
– What did you do before last week?
– In 30 seconds … what is your topic
area
– Why are you doing a PhD or
MRes?
– What will you do with it?
– What will you be able to do that
you could not do before?
Essential and Supporting Reasons
Section 2.1 of DPGR (particularly pp22-25)
Essential
Supporting
• How would you classify your own reasons for doing a
research degree???
• Don’t forget all this!!!
What will the examiner be looking
for?
Key planning point
A training demonstrated by a written work that shows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Good style and presentation
Proficiency in Research Methods
Initiative and independence of thought (Masters)
Significant (distinct) contribution to knowledge
Material worthy of publication (PhD)
Able to pursue further research without supervision
Able to argue and discuss research (PhD Viva)
(PhD)
Originality (‘contribution to knowledge’)
Pages 33-34 of DPGR
• A new product (but need to
show research process that led to it)
• New data (again need to show
research process)
• New Theory
• Applying existing theory
to a new field
• A new model or
perspective
• A new research tool or
method
• An original critique
• Developing new
generalisable conclusions
from existing data
• Original work within a
larger predetermined
programme
My Originality
• In your groups, share in what
way do you expect your
research to be original?
• Note: what is accepted and is
‘mainstream’ originality can
vary by subject area
• (any other way than covered
in the previous slide???)
Proficiency in Research Methods
• What is the difference between ‘Method’ and
‘Methodology’?
• Not just demonstrating how you did your research
(Method)
• But WHY you conducted the research using your chosen
method (Methodology)
• The latter is expected both for Masters and PhD (but is
often missing)
• In some area methods are predetermined – but still
show awareness
Strategic things to sort…
In a PhD you need to:
• Have developed a command of your
subject
• Know where you can make a useful
contribution
• Know what methods to use (and not to
use)
• You make that contribution
• Communicate results effectively
Website support
• Other aspects of Getting Going (Training needs
analysis, safe computer use and other Health and Safety
aspects) are also covered in Chapter 2 of DPGR
• Web materials on this are on the Virtual Research
Environment website
• MRes Students have their own website support.
• Other support from the Research Career Development
Team (Lots of events)
• OU club (you will need a break from academic work)
http://www.open.ac.uk/ouclub/main/
For Next Week
Project planning: what I want to do … and how I
might start
Later…
We have lunch!
2.00: Endnote Training in Library
5.00 Happy Hour in Pavillion Bar