The first Leap into Research took place on the 2-4 March 2016.
See below for archived workshop and event details.
Wednesday 2nd March
9.30 – 10.45 Workshop: Finding UK Funding and applying to research funders
Finding funding for a research idea is the first step to getting your project off the ground, but the funding landscape is complex and it can be challenging to find suitable funders for your idea. In this session we will look at ways to identify funders including using our Research Professional database of opportunities. The session will then focus on the next steps, helping you to navigate through the development of a funding bid, and outlining the support available from the Research and Innovation Office. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Finance, Funding and resources (C3).
11.00 – 12.00 Briefing: Engaging with Business to develop research projects
Lots of research ideas end up becoming business ideas, and in this session we will share some examples of research projects that led to commercial products. If you have ever wondered if your research might lead to a spin-off company or thought it might be patentable, then this session will highlight some ways that you can engage with business to develop your research. This session maps to the RDF’s subdomain of Engagement and Impact (D3) and Professional Conduct (C1).
12.00 – 12.45 Briefing: Open Access – the basics: what you need to know and why you need to know it
This session will give you basic details about Open Access (OA), and how it affects eligibility for REF2020. OA will be defined, Edinburgh Napier’s Open Access policy will be explained, and some of the mysteries regarding deposit in our Research Repository will be clarified. This is essential for any researcher hoping for inclusion in REF2020. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Engagement and impact (D3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
14.00 – 15.00 Workshop: Using the Research Repository
Getting ready for the next REF means depositing your publications in the Research Repository now. Meet the Repository administrator, learn how to upload papers to the repository and try it for yourself. The session will include answers to frequently asked questions around which version you should deposit and publisher licences on using your research. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Professional conduct (C1) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
15.00 – 15.45 Briefing: Creating and improving your online research presence
This signposting session is aimed at those who are just starting to build their online research presence or who need a bit of encouragement to keep going! How can you get the best out of social networking and collaborative tools to support and promote your research? We’ll look at some of the most popular tools (their pros and cons) and the tips/tricks that can help your online research profile.
- Finding and using online research communities (e.g. ResearchGate, Academia.edu, discipline/industry specific).
- Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn – a waste of time or time saving tools.
- The art of research blogging.
- Open Access publishing/Edinburgh Napier research repository.
- Blurred lines – the personal and research/professional online presence. Thinking about your digital footprint and its impact.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Engagement and impact (D3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
16.00 – 17.00 Panel discussion – impact and your career*
Join us for a panel discussion about impact – in all its forms; from impact seen through the lens of the REF, to impact on individuals and society more broadly, and how you can make a difference in your own career. We will have researchers from different stages of their career to discuss this topical subject.
*There is no presentation for this discussion but there is a ‘Leaping into research’ blog post written by Dawn Smith, Public Engagement Officer at Edinburgh Napier University, who attended the Panel Discussion.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Engagement and Impact (D3) and Professional and Career development (B3).
Thursday 3rd March
9.15 – 10 Briefing: Bidding for EU funding
This session will give you an introduction to European funding, with a focus on the current Horizon 2020 initiatives. During this briefing we will share examples of best practice when bidding for EU funding and will consider the different stages of developing such bids. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Research Management (C2) and Finance, funding and resources (C3).
10.00 – 10.45 Briefing: Using apps for research
Mobile applications, or apps, represent an area of continued growth and utility. During the briefing you will have the opportunity to explore and experiment with the use of apps from a research perspective, as well as share in best practice from across the academic sector. Researchers from all disciplines will benefit from this session, as awareness of the culture shift caused by the use of apps and smartphones becomes more important. Participants are encouraged to bring their own device (BYOD). This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Creativity (A3) and Working with others (D1).
11.00 – 12.00 Briefing: Copyright essentials for researchers
Copyright can seem like an unwelcome guest at the party when you are trying to get on with doing your research. It’s probably a good idea to tackle it early on, and make sure you don’t get any surprises at the last minute. This session aims to provide guidelines on whether you can readily re-use work created by others, and offer suggestions for obtaining permission if not. We will also look at matters relating to copyright in your own work, including options for sharing and protecting it, and things to be aware of when you are deciding where to publish. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Professional conduct (C1).
14.15 – 15.00 Briefing: Building Collaborative Research projects
If you have ever wondered how to build a collaborative bid this session is for you. We will look at ways to find potential collaborators both within the university and beyond, and how you can then develop collaborative bids together. We will think about the timescales involved to put together these types of projects and the session will finish by highlighting some schemes designed to foster collaborative working. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Working with others (D1) and Professional and career development (B3).
15.00 – 15.45 Briefing: Costing your research proposal
Wondering what the difference is between an indirect and a direct cost? Not sure what FeC stands for? By the end of this session you will be more familiar with the steps you need to take to put together a costing for any proposal you might be writing. You will hear about the support from RIO for this process, learn about the key aspects of costing research, and understand when you need to think about costing during the development of a proposal. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Research Management (C2) and Finance, funding and resources (C3).
16.00 – 17.00 Briefing: Procurement for research projects
You’ve successfully put together a winning funding bid and now it’s time to start the research – but how do you go about spending the money? This session will cover the university’s processes for tendering on large items, regular procurement of research items, and will outline the support available in this area. By the end of the session you will understand how to spend your hard won money carefully and according to university policies. This session maps to the RDF’s subdomain of Research management (C2) and Professional conduct (C1).
Friday 4th March
9.00 – 10.00 Research and the Literature Review
Develop strategies to help you search a range of information sources for your literature review. This briefing will focus on the planning aspects of a literature review and will highlight how to take a systematic approach to searching that will inform, and place into context, your future research. The session is aimed at all researchers who feel they would benefit from an update in this area. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Knowledge base (A1) and Cognitive abilities (A2).
10.00 – 10.45 Briefing: Keeping up to date with research
Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to keep up to date with new research in your area of expertise but find time an issue? Then this hands on session is for you. You will learn the quick and easy way to keep up to date by setting up email alerts or RSS feeds on a variety of database/ejournal platforms.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Knowledge base (A1) and Self-management (B2).
11.00 – 12.00 Workshop: Writing for publication*
Publishing and communicating our research is a key step in the research process. But sometimes it’s hard to get going with that research article that has been lingering in your desk drawer for a while. During this session we will look at activities that can help you get writing, and participants will be asked to share the strategies they use to support writing activity.
*There is no presentation available for this practical hands-on session.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Communication and dissemination (D2).
12.00 – 12.45 Briefing: Altmetrics and social media
This briefing session is designed to show you how social media can help you in your research and give an introduction to altmetrics – other ways of measuring research performance beyond traditional citations in journals, including views online or number of downloads. Topics covered will include:
- Researchers and social media
- What are Altmetrics?
- Citation metrics
- Altmetrics
- What does this all mean?
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Professional and career development (B3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
14.00 – 15.00 Workshop: Measuring research performance using citation counting
There are many different and evolving ways of measuring research performance. In this workshop we’re going back to basics to get a grasp on some of the more ‘traditional’ methods which still manage to confuse and infuriate academics and librarians alike! We’ll show you how to work out your h-index (and those of potential collaborators) and the h-index for universities/research groups. An exploration of some of the metric/citation counting tools available: Web of Science, Elsevier Journal Metrics and Google Scholar Metrics. The workshop will also look at factors influencing where to publish, what is a journal impact factor (and how to find it) and the rise of Open Access journals. We’ll finish by discussing the current arguments surrounding the assessment of research performance by metrics versus by peer review. What does this mean for REF 2020 and your professional research profile? This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Professional and career development (B3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
15.00 – 16.00 Lecture: Research data and Arts practice: a consideration of the relationship between practice-based research in the Arts, documentation, outputs and data management. Professor Paul Whitty. Professor in Composition; Research Lead for the School of Arts; and a founder of the Sonic Art Research Unit, Oxford Brookes University.
Researchers in the Arts produce a dizzying array of outputs, from feature films and documentaries to pieces of paper with sound-making instructions on them. Whilst REF2014 provided broad definitions of what constituted relevant research practices in the Arts and the type of outputs that might emerge from practices, some Higher Education Institutions find these definitions more problematic! This lecture examines the relationship between researchers in the Arts, their outputs and research data, and how institutions can provide appropriate support for them.