RDF (Researcher Development Framework) RESOURCE GUIDE
What is the VITAE RESEARCHER DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK?
If you haven’t already heard about the Researcher Development Framework (RDF), it is a professional development framework developed through Vitae for planning,
promoting and supporting the personal, professional and career development of researchers. In essence it was designed for researchers to help them to evaluate and plan
their professional development.
To make it work for you the RDF should be used as a development tool to help you to identify the areas within the framework that you want to develop further and then to
create an action plan. Each student’s development areas will be different and through discussion with your supervisory team throughout your PhD you should forward plan
your development needs for the next 12 months ahead. These can then be added to your Personal Development Planner
This RDF resource guide is a reference tool which will help you gain a better level of understanding/knowledge of each of the 4 domains of the RDF as well as their 12 subdomains and descriptors. Resources have been pulled from a variety of sources to give you a wide range from traditional books to podcasts. Please be aware that this is a
‘work in progress’ resource and the plan is to keep this document as up to date as possible. So we are always on the lookout for new and interesting articles, websites, books
etc. and would welcome any information on resources that you feel are helping you during your research programme. Please send any recommendations to Nuala in the PRDP
Team – n.mccabe@qub.ac.uk
Vitae resources:
Please be aware that there are a lot references to Vitae resources throughout this guide – to fully access many of these you will need to register your QUB email address in the
Vitae login option; this will then give you access to the Vitae resources identified throughout this RDF guide.
Some interesting information from Vitae:
How to use the Vitae Researcher Development Framework RDF
Vitae has developed a series of lenses to focus on a particular area that you may wish to develop to strengthen your academic profile or transition into a new area of work:
Lenses on the Vitae Researcher Development Framework
Vitae has also produced 7 booklets tailored to specific areas which include practical advice and tips for researchers on topics chosen to support professional development. Each
booklet includes advice and suggested exercises to work through: Vitae Researcher Booklets
Watch – Vitae introduction to the RDF (5mins)
2
DOMAIN A: KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES
This domain focusses on the knowledge and intellectual abilities needed to be able to carry out excellent research
Vitae link to information on knowledge and intellectual abilities
SUB-DOMAIN A1: KNOWLEDGE BASE
Vitae - Knowledge base
Area
Subject Knowledge
Books
QUB – internal links
External links
Podcasts/video links
Vitae Information:
Using subject knowledge in our research
Research Methods: Refer to RDF
Vitae: Research methods - theoretical knowledge
Research methods books
theoretical
Resource
Search the QCat Library Catalogue at
knowledge
Guide
Social Research Methods
www.qub.ac.uk/lib using ‘research methods’. Many
Reading List
www.explorable.com
of the titles are available as e-books (filter your
search results to e-books to get a list).
Research Methods:
practical
application
Resources to help you learn and use SPSS:
SPSS info
Getting started with SPSS
Concepts and applications of inferential statistics
Vitae: Research methods - practical application
3
Area
Books
QUB – internal links
Information
seeking
Information
literacy &
management
External links
Podcasts/video links
Vitae Quick tips- using online resources in your research
Research guides by subject:
libguides.qub.ac.uk
Research guides by subject
Library support for literature searching - subject
librarians
Vitae:
Information literacy and management
Peter’s Levin’s Guide to avoiding and rebutting
accusations of plagiarism
Listen to the
Vitae Podcast –
Podcast - the informed
researcher
Beat the witch-hunt!
Inter-library loan service
Reference management using Refworks
Turnitin White Paper on Plagiarism
Open access
The Library’s Open Access Team (email:
openaccess@qub.ac.uk) provide one-to-one
support and deliver training courses on open access
academic publishing.
Further information about open access is available
on the Library website at Library - open access
Help on citation/plagiarism
Help with citation. Search the Library Catalogue for
‘Cite them right’ for access from home / off
campus.
Using other academic libraries
Languages
Language Centre at Queen’s –
Language Centre at Queen's
Vitae: Using languages and academic literacy in research
4
Information about INTO at Queen’s:
General language info:
BBC Languages Information
INTO at Queen's
INTO Queen's academic and English language
preparation courses
Academic Literacy
& numeracy
QUB Writing Resources (PDF documents)
Dealing with Secondary Literature
Exploring Grammar for PhD Writers
Structuring your thesis
Writing a Conference Paper
Vitae Quick Tips:
Reading research papers during your doctorate
Turbocharge your writing article
(Article by Hugh Cairns & Maria Gardiner (2011):
Nature Journal 475; also available to download as PDF).
Writing for Publication: an introduction
PGR Fundamentals:
Writing up
Other useful websites:
Mendeley
Literature and latte
Grammatology
PRDP – webinars on
Writing Resources:
Constructing paragraphs
Writing with energy
Writing introductions
Writing conclusions
(to view need to have
up-to-date version of
Flash Player)
University of Manchester:
Info on academic writing in the humanities - University of
Manchester
Monash University's Guide to Editing your Thesis
5
A2: COGNITIVE ABILITIES
Area
Books
Analysing
QUB – internal links
External links
Podcasts/video links
Vitae:
Analysing and synthesising in research
Synthesising
Critical Thinking & Refer to RDF
Evaluating
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Vitae - Using critical thinking and evaluation in research
Problem solving
Vitae: Using problem solving for research
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Rhetorical functions in academic writing: Writing critically
Mindtools website:
Problem-solving
Lifehack articles:
6 ways to enhance your problem solving skills
Skills you need.com:
Skills you need to problem solve
Business balls.com:
Business balls.com - Problem solving and decision making
6
Knowledge & Intellectual Abilities
A3: CREATIVITY
Area
Inquiring mind
Books
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
QUB – internal links
External links
Podcasts/video links
Inventor of Mindmapping, Tony Buzan:
 Tony Buzan website
 Mindmapping website
YouTube clips:
Watch Scott Belsky Making Ideas Happen
James Hayton PhD Blog  Searching for inspiration
 Productivity vs creativity
 The pleasure of finding things out
Watch Steven Johnson Where do good ideas
come from?
Mindtools.com – information on creativity
Mindtools.com - info and tips on creativity
Vitae:
Using an inquiring mind and intellectual insight to meet
the challenges of research
Watch ABC nightline
"IDEO shopping cart"
Watch Ken Robinson Do schools kill
creativity?
Intellectual insight
Innovation
Refer to RDF QUB Research and Enterprise Directorate - Support Vitae - Using innovation in research
Resource
for Innovation
Innovation Excellence
Guide
Reading List
So what? Finding a hook for your idea is an innovation
imperative
Listen to the Creative
Researcher podcast
Watch Utube clips:
How to sell new
innovations without
killing the excitement
7
How to pitch anything in
15 seconds
Argument
construction
Vitae - argument construction - quick tips
Walden University:
Writing a paper: constructing arguments
Occam's razor - a
humorous illustration
from the US sitcom ‘the
Big Bang Theory’
Critical Writing – University of Leicester
Intellectual risk
Vitae - argument construction and intellectual risk in
research
Are today's student afraid of intellectual risk?
8
DOMAIN B: PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS
This domain focusses on the personal qualities, career and self-management skills required to take ownership for and control of your personal development.
Vitae link to: Information on Personal Effectiveness
Roffey Park - Guide to Personal Effectiveness
Sub-domain B1: PERSONAL QUALITIES
Area
Books
QUB – internal links
External links
Enthusiasm
Vitae - enthusiasm and perseverance as a researcher
Perseverance
(resilience)
The need for enthusiasm and perseverance as a
researcher - Vitae information and references
Podcasts/video links
Roffey Park Institute
Resilience Capability Index – online resilience tool
Article: The Resilient Leader - debunking the myths and
growing your capabilities
Integrity
Directorate of Research & Enterprise:
Information on research ethics, governance and
integrity
Vitae - Integrity for Good Practice in Research
9
Self-confidence
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Vitae - Self-confidence for researchers
Self-reflection
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Vitae - Self-reflection for researchers
Wherever I go there I am; reflections on reflexivity and
the research stance (Tricia Le Gallais) PDF document
Business balls.com - reflective practice
Responsibility
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Vitae – Researchers responsibilities:
 Vitae - Researchers responsibilities
 Vitae - your responsibilities as a researcher
Personal Effectiveness
Sub-domain B2: SELF-MANAGEMENT
Vitae: Information on self-management
Area
Preparation &
prioritisation
Books
QUB – internal links
Refer to RDF PGR Fundamentals: Maintaining Momentum
Resource
Guide
Reading List
External links
Podcasts/video links
Article: 'Waiting for the motivation fairy' (Hugh Kearns & Maria Watch James Hayton
Gardiner, Flinders University Adelaide)
lecture at Edinburgh
University:
How to get through
your PhD without going
insane
10
Time Management
PGR Fundamentals: Managing your Time
Info from jobs.ac.uk:
Tips for time management and balancing a busy workload
Planning your time doing a PhD
Time management tips from businessballs.com
Responsiveness to
change
Work-life balance
Listen to the Vitae
Balanced Researcher
podcast
Watch:
The Good Doctorate
Video
Jobs.ac.uk:
Top 10 tips for getting a work-life balance
Business balls.com:
Business balls.com - Stress management
James Hayton blog post - work-life balance
Online resources for meditation:
UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Centre
Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn also has many free guided
meditations online. Google ‘Jon Kabat-Zinn’.
Personal Effectiveness
Sub-domain B3: PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Vitae info on professional and career development
Area
Career
Management
Books
QUB – internal links
External links
My future - QUB careers portal
Vitae - Careers information
PGR Fundamentals:
Early Stage - Developing Transferable Skills
Jobs.ac.uk - Careers Advice
Podcasts/video links
11
Middle Stage - Raising your Research Profile
Late Stage – Beyond your Research Degree
Prospects
Vitae - What do researchers do?
James Hayton blog posts:
How to write your academic CV and how not to
Academic career - harsh truths
Continuing
Professional
Development
(CPD)
Refer to RDF PRDP Researcher Development Planning website
Resource
with information, guidance and links.
Guide
Reading List
Vitae - Professional Development Planning for Researchers –
online course
Vitae: Report Achievements
Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development - CPD
Jobs.ac.uk - Managing your career
REPORT – PDF: One Step Beyond: Making the most of
postgraduate education Department for Business, Industry and
Skills (2010)
Mindtools.com Learning Skills
Responsiveness to
opportunities
QUB – Vacancies and opportunities - My Future
The career-wise researcher - Vitae career resource
Careers advice for PhDs - Example career paths for PhD
students
www.jobs.ac.uk – academic vacancies
Research jobfinder - research jobs outside academic context
Article - about PhDs choosing opportunities beyond academia
Career options after a PhD – the guardian.com
Research Councils’ factsheets for each discipline outlining
career pathways beyond academia
12
Networking
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Jobs.ac.uk articles:
How to develop successful networking skills in academia
Should academics use social networking sites in their
professional lives?
Top Ten Tips for Successful Networking
4 Steps to Networking Success
Wikihow.com:
Networking at a conference
AcademicTips.org:
Academic Networking
Reputation &
esteem
Raising your research profile
13
DOMAIN C: RESEARCH GOVERNANCE AND ORGANISATION
This domain highlights the knowledge of the standards, requirements and professional conduct that are needed for the effective management of research.
Vitae link to: Vitae - Research Governance and Organisation
Sub-domain C1: PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Area
Professional
Conduct
Books
QUB – internal links
Queen's Code of Practice for Research Degree
Programmes
External links
Vitae Professional Conduct - Quick Tips
Vitae - Professional Conduct info
Podcasts/video links
Watch:
The Good Viva Video
Queen's students talk
about their Viva
experience
Health & Safety
Queen’s Occupational Health and Safety
Ethics, principles & Refer to RDF Queen's Ethics, integrity, governance policies and
sustainability
Resource
procedures
Guide
Reading List Queen's University - Research Governance and
Ethics, useful links
Vitae:
Health and safety, legal requirements, IPR and copyright for
researchers
Vitae:
Research ethics
Current university regulations and policies
14
Area
Books
QUB – internal links
External links
Podcasts/video links
Legal requirements
IPR & copyright
Queen's Research Grants and IPR
Vitae - Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Rights Policy
Responsibility and entitlements of students
undertaking Research Degree Programme
Respect and
confidentiality
Vitae:
The need for respect and confidentiality in research
Attribution and coauthorship
Vitae:
Criteria for attribution and co-authorship in research
Appropriate
practice
Vitae:
Appropriate practice in research
Sub-domain C2: RESEARCH MANAGEMENT
Vitae - Research Management
Area
Books
QUB – internal links
Research Strategy
Project Planning
and Delivery
External links
Podcasts/video links
Vitae:
Research strategy
Refer to RDF PGR Fundamentals
Resource
(outlining PGR Stages – early, middle & late)
Vitae:
15
Guide
Reading List
Project planning and delivery for research
Project management and delivery 1
Project Planning Quick Tips
Planning your research project Quick Tips
Project management tools for researchers
Other websites:
PhD Toolkit - planners & forms you can use to plan your PhD
How to plan your PhD - planning your time
What is project management?
Next Scientist - manage a large research project
Quick guide to Project Management (a free eBook to
download)
Science Careers:
Project Management for Scientists
Mindtools.com:
Project management skills
Business balls.com
General info on project management/skills
Risk Management
Vitae - Risk Management in research
Institute of Risk Management - what is risk management?
Why you need a risk management action plan
16
Research Governance and organisation
Sub-domain C3: FINANCE, FUNDING AND RESOURCES
Vitae: Finance, funding and resources
Area
Income and
funding generation
Infrastructure &
resource
Books
QUB – internal links
Postgraduate Funding at QUB
External links
Podcasts/video links
Vitae: Income funding generation
How to access funding
Vitae: Writing grant applications - quick tips
17
DOMAIN D: ENGAGEMENT,INFLUENCE AND IMPACT
This domain demonstrates the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage with, influence and impact at an academic, social, cultural and economic
level.
Engagement, influence and impact
Sub-domain D1: Working with others
Working with others
Area
Books
Collegiality
Team working
People
management
Supervision
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
QUB – internal links
External links
Podcasts/video links
Vitae:
Team working for success as a researcher
Negotiation - quick tips
Refer to RDF PGR Fundamentals: Your Supervisory Team
Vitae:
Resource
Supervision in Research
QUB
Regulations
on
Research
Degree
Programme:
Guide
Reading List Information on supervision, including the role of the Managing people to achieve research aims
supervisor
You and your PhD supervisor
Watch:
The Good Supervision
Video
Times Higher:
10-truths-a-phd-supervisor will never tell you!
Article: The care and maintenance of your adviser (supervisor)
James Hayton (PhD)Blog:
How to cope with harsh supervisor feedback
18
I can't contact my supervisor until I have something to show
Mentoring
Influence and
leadership
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Vitae:
Collegiality, mentoring, influence, leadership and collaboration
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
PDF Article Roffey Park:
The Resilient Leader
Institute of Physics - Mentoring
Listen to Vitae Podcast
on Leadership
Robert K. Greenleaf Centre for Leadership:
What is servant leadership
Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
Mindtools.com - Leadership Skills
Leadership as an influence process
Article from Harvard Business Review - Influence & Leadership
Businessballs.com - Leadership and management
Collaboration
Equality and
diversity
Institute for Collaborative Research in the
Humanities - Fit for Purpose publication
Vitae:
Collaboration with business - quick tips
Collegiality, mentoring, influence, leadership and collaboration
in research
Student Equality Diversity
Equality and Diversity Policy
Vitae:
Equality and diversity on the research environment
19
ENGAGEMENT, INFLUENCE AND IMPACT
Sub-domain D2: Communication and dissemination
Communication and dissemination
Using online resources in your research - quick tips
Area
Communication
methods
Communication
media
Books
Refer to RDF
Resource
Guide
Reading List
QUB – internal links
External links
Podcasts/video links
Online training in poster development:
Online training in poster development
Watch:
The Good Presentation
Video
Vitae:
Watch:
Social media to support
research webinar - Vitae
London Hub
Communication methods and media for researchers
Publication
Vitae – Publishing your work:
Publishing your research
The Art of Research Publishing:
The art of research publishing
Authorship – Quick Tips:
Authorship - Quick Tips (more relevant to Physical & Life
Sciences backgrounds)
20
Political Studies Association Guide to Publishing (in disciplines
of politics and international studies) - full of tips on how to
publish articles, PhD theses and more
Getting published in the humanities - top tips
Cambridge University Press – Cambridge Journals Blog
Publishing your first journal article (an academic publishers
view)
Article: Handy tips on how to get a journal article published (in
a Sage Journal)
ENGAGEMENT, INFLUENCE AND IMPACT
Sub-domain D3: Engagement and impact
https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers-professional-development/engagement-influence-and-impact/engagement-and-impact
Area
Teaching
Books
QUB University – internal links
Refer to RDF Centre for Educational Development
Resource
Guide
Reading List
External links
Higher Education Academy
Small Group Teaching:
Small group teaching by David Jacques 2014
Discussion as a way of teaching
Podcasts/video links
Watch:
Teaching Methods for
small group teaching
(University of
Nottingham – includes
Faculties of Arts, Science
and Social Sciences)
21
The Large Class Teaching Guidelines: (2002) Teaching and
Educational Development Institute, The University of
Queensland, Australia
Public Engagement
The following publications feature profiles of various
researchers at Queen's University who are making a
real-world impact with their work
The DNA of Innovation (volumes i-iv)
Vitae:
Engagement and Impact
REF website (with access to all of the impact case studies
submitted in REF2014)
Watch Vitae Videos on
engagement
RCUK (Research Councils UK):
Big Ideas
RCUK Public Engagement
Watch:
Views on Public
Engagement (the OECD
asked government and
civil society to share
their views on public
engagement)
ESRC Impact Toolkit
Approaches to assessing the non-academic impact of social
science research
Watch the Engaging
Researcher Podcast
The Warwick Commission report: Future Culture
LSE Impact of Social Science Blog (including a Twitter guide):
Impact of Social Science
National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)
The Conversation
Inspiring Impact
Measuring the impact of the arts: Belfast City Council
Enterprise
Research and Enterprise Directorate at QUB
Vitae – The Enterprising Researcher
22
From Ideas to Social Enterprise
Policy
Refer to RDF Research and Enterprise - policies and procedures
Resource
Guide
Reading List
Institute for Public Policy and Research
Articles:
Punching our weight: the humanities and social sciences in
public policy making
The Power of Evidence: improving the effectiveness of
government by investing in more rigorous evaluation
Maximising the impact of your research: a handbook for social
scientists
Evidence and Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and
Practice
Deliberative public engagement: 9 principles. INVOLVE,
National Consumer Council June 2008
A Guide to Effective Participation - David Wilcox 1994
Society and culture
Global citizenship
Citizenship Foundation
Global Citizenship –
what are we talking about and why does it matter
Vitae info on Global Citizenship
23