This event took place on the 13th – 15th March 2018. See below for archived slides and video.
Tuesday 13th March – Merchiston E14
10-10.45am Learning to love your literature search (Powerpoint slides)
Marian Kirton, Information Services Advisor
You may or may not love literature searching, but you can learn how to perform it more effectively. This session will help you get started with planning a literature search and introduce you to top search tools for your area. You’ll look at techniques to improve your search results and how to source items not available at Edinburgh Napier University.
The sessions at each campus will be customised for different subject areas by the Information Services Advisor/Subject Librarian for your School. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Knowledge base (A1) and Cognitive abilities (A2).
10.45 -11.30am One word at a time – how to get writing (Powerpoint slides)
Gráinne Barkess, Leader of Researcher Development
Writing is an integral part of being a researcher, from preparing a thesis to book chapters and journal articles, but it’s often a hidden activity within the academic world. In this interactive session we will discuss different strategies to help us get writing, from writing groups, using the pomodoro technique or free writing. Come along prepared to share your tips and tricks to help make academic writing a little easier. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Communication and Dissemination (D2).
11.45am – 12.30pm Preparing for REF (Video)
Prof Jessie Kennedy, Dean of Research and Innovation
The Research Excellence Framework is run by the UK government to assess the quality of research across universities and influences the funding we receive in return. There has been a wide range consultation process ahead of the next REF – which is planned for 2021 – and there are some planned changes to how it will run. In this session we will explore what happens in the REF, highlight what the planned changes are, and consider how you can stay aware of the implications of REF for your own career planning. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Research management (C2) and Professional and Career Development (B3).
1.30 – 2.15pm Waving not Drowning – How to keep afloat in the choppy sea of research (Powerpoint slides) (Video)
Leah MacGilp, Mental Health Adviser
The session will look at the causes of stress and how to balance your life and maintain your health. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Personal qualities (B1) and Professional and career development (B3).
2.15 – 3pm The state of academic publishing
Session cancelled due to strike action.
Dr Camilla Mørk Røstvik, University of St Andrews
Professor Brian Williams, Professorial Lead for Researcher Development
Dr Røstvik is co-author of the publication ‘Untangling Academic Publishing’. She will give an overview of the issues discussed, including the history of academic publishing, the role of publishing and prestige in academic careers and how this relationship is changing.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Engagement and Impact (D3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
3.15 – 4pm How to market yourself as a researcher
This session will look at how to market yourself as a researcher. Amanda Proud, Brand and Reputation Manager, will talk about some ways you can share your personal brand both on- and off-line, and how Marketing and Communications can help you. Dr Clare Taylor and Dr Andrew Wooff will join her for a panel discussion including talking about their experiences in their own careers.
- Amanda Proud joined Edinburgh Napier University in December 2017 as Brand and Reputation Manager. Before joining Edinburgh Napier, Amanda was Head of Marketing and Communications at Glasgow Clyde College for six years, where she led the development of the college brand through a merger. She has 20 years’ experience in global marketing communications, public relations and public affairs, including one year spent at Edinburgh Napier University in 2008-09 as Brand and Communications Manager on the name change project.
- Dr Clare Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology in the School of Applied Sciences where she is also Academic Lead for Student Experience, Athena SWAN Champion, and Public Engagement Lead. She is also General Secretary of the Society for Applied Microbiology, and was awarded a Beltane Public Engagement Fellowship in 2015. Clare is a public engagement enthusiast and is passionate about engaging people with research in microbiology especially on the topics of antimicrobial therapy and antibiotic resistance.
- Dr Andrew Wooff is a Lecturer in Criminology in the School of Applied Sciences. His most recent research has been focused on police custody, rural policing and police professionalization. Andrew currently sits on the Home Office Police Custody Design Review Board, advising on best practice for police custody design, and has recently given evidence to the Cross Party Group on Rural Policy in the Scottish Parliament. Having worked closely with a number of police forces across the UK, Andrew is passionate about communication and engagement with stakeholders.
Wednesday 14th March – Sighthill LRC5 (Horizon Suite)
10-10.45am Learning to love your literature search
• Health & Social Care (Powerpoint slides)
Sheena Moffat, Information Services Advisor
• Applied Sciences (Powerpoint slides) (Video)
(Using Boolean handout) (Data extraction tables handout)
Laura Ennis, Information Services Advisor
You may or may not love literature searching, but you can learn how to perform it more effectively. This session will help you get started with planning a literature search and introduce you to top search tools for your area. You’ll look at techniques to improve your search results and how to source items not available at Edinburgh Napier University.
The sessions at each campus will be customised for different subject areas by the Information Services Advisor/Subject Librarian for your School. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Knowledge base (A1) and Cognitive abilities (A2).
10.45 – 11.30am Research methods (Powerpoint slides) (Video) (Resource List)
Laura Ennis and Eithne Barry, Information Services
Qualitative? Quantitative? Mixed? Research methods are the systematic tools used to conduct research. Basically, they are the rules researchers follow to collect information in order to seek an answer to their research question. In this session you will be briefly introduced to different research methodologies, and explore learning materials that will help you to design research projects, understand particular methods or identify a new method, and learn how to incorporate these into your own teaching, research, and writing. This workshop would suit those staff and researchers who want to refine or enhance their skills and those who are conducting or considering their own research. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Knowledge base (A1) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
11.45 – 12.30pm How to protect your data in an open research culture (Powerpoint slides) (Video)
Lindsay Ramage, Leader of Research Data Management and Lyn Gibson, Information Assistant
Different types of data are generated during research projects. Increasingly making your research open is a requirement of research funding, but is also an excellent way to get your research into the public domain. However, before making your research open you should ideally put in place mechanisms to protect or control the use of your data. This can be in the form of open data/ access licences, copyright or commercial licencing.
This workshop will primarily focus on the types of open data licence and when they can be used. We discuss the pros/cons to creators and users of open research. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Communication and Dissemination (D2).
1.30 – 2.15pm Panel Discussion: Developing your career: Real life journeys (Video)
Professor Alistair Sambell, Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice Chancellor
Professor Ian Singleton, School of Applied Sciences
Dr Liz Aston, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Head of Social Sciences
Dr Imed Romdhani, Associate Professor, School of Computing
What does being a successful researcher mean in terms of developing your career?
For this session, we will be joined by researchers from different career stages for a panel discussion about their personal experiences. We will talk about some of the lessons they have learned along the way, how their careers have developed, and some of the critical junctions in developing a rewarding career. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Professional and career development (B3) and Engagement and Impact (D3).
2.15 – 3pm How to get published in The Conversation (Powerpoint slides) (Video)
Steven Vass, Scotland Editor, The Conversation UK
Dr Peter Barlow, Associate Professor of Immunology & Infection/Director of Research, School of Applied Sciences
Steven Vass will look at the benefits to academics of publishing in The Conversation (including profile raising and the ability to access your article performance statistics) and what the process involves, from commission to editing to online publication.
Peter will talk about his personal experience of being published in The Conversation, the differences between this and writing for academic journals, and the fantastic opportunities he has gained as a result of media coverage of his articles in The Conversation.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Engagement and Impact (D3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
3.15 – 4pm Manage Yourself, Manage your Time (Powerpoint slides) (Video)
Mo Andrew, Employability and Confident Future Consultant
As a researcher, you will be used to juggling constant demands on your time as you pursue your research goals. This session will aim to help you identify your personal time management style and develop effective time management and personal planning strategies. It will include techniques to reduce the negative impact of procrastination and look at developing time management and planning strategies to work more effectively with other people. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Personal qualities (C1) and Self-management (C2).
Handouts:
Questionnaire: Your time management type
Morning or evening person?
Drivers challenge questionnaire
Five drivers: Messages to self
Thursday 15th March – Craiglockhart Rivers Suite
10-10.45am Learning to love your literature search (Powerpoint slides)
• Business School
Keith Walker, Information Services Advisor
You may or may not love literature searching, but you can learn how to perform it more effectively. This session will help you get started with planning a literature search and introduce you to top search tools for your area. You’ll look at techniques to improve your search results and how to source items not available at Edinburgh Napier University.
The sessions at each campus will be customised for different subject areas by the Information Services Advisor/Subject Librarian for your School. This session maps to the RDF’s sub-domains of Knowledge base (A1) and Cognitive abilities (A2).
10.45 – 11.30am Funding your Research – Beginning the Journey and Planning Ahead
Janet Taylor, Nina Hakanpaa, Carol Johnstone, Paula Stevenson – External Funding Team, RIO
This session will look at external funding and where to begin – it will cover how to find appropriate sources and make your first application. This will include planning and deciding where you want to be in your research career and how to navigate through the funding landscape, from the first small application and looking towards the future of big national funding sources and multinational consortium projects. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Finance, funding and resources (C3).
11.45 – 12.30pm Getting Published: Liaising with Editors/Associate Editors & Responding to Journal Reviewers’ Feedback and Journal Decision Letters (Powerpoint slides)
Professor Maura Sheehan, Professor Paul Lynch, Professor Paul Barron
It will:
• Provide a forum to discuss the challenges faced in getting published
• Suggest ways to engage with journal editors/associate editors
• Suggest ways to make sense of editors’ decision letters and reviewer comments.
• Address and discuss strategies to ensure that appropriate revisions are made and communicated in an effective way to the journal editor and reviewers. See abstract.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Engagement and Impact (D3) and Communication and dissemination (D2).
1.30 – 2.15pm Engaging with the Scottish Parliament (Powerpoint slides)
Dawn Smith, Public Engagement Officer
- How can academic research be used in a parliamentary policy setting?
- What makes for good collaboration between academia and the Scottish Parliament?
- How can academics access the Scottish Parliament?
This session will give you an insight into how your research can affect public policy. We will be joined by one of the team from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), the Parliament’s internal research service, and will explore how the partnership between Parliament and Academia can be most effective. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Engagement and Impact (D3).
2.15 – 3pm Business engagement in the research environment
Session cancelled due to staff illness
In this session we will explore the importance of Business Engagement to research in a modern university, and how to do it successfully. The session will cover:
- The industry-led research agenda
- How to create research impact through industry partnerships
- How to engage businesses in your research
- Business engagement skills
Led by our Business Engagement team from RIO, we will also hear from our researchers in the Business School about their experiences. This session maps to the RDF’s sub domain of Engagement and Impact (D3)
3.15 – 4.45pm Introduction to Mendeley (Powerpoint slides)
Michaela Kurschildgen, Customer Consultant, Elsevier
Virginie Wagenaar, Mendeley Product Manager MIE
Mendeley is a popular, free reference management programme and collaboration tool.
It may be used for keeping tracking of references in a PhD, discovering and sharing research, or keeping a PDF database for a project or ongoing research interest.
This hands-on session will include:
• Add references and PDFs to Mendeley and manage them effectively
• Sharing your references
• Insert citations into Word in different output styles (e.g. Harvard or APA)
Please bring a laptop or tablet to the session if you would like to be able to follow along with setting up your own Mendeley.
This session maps to the RDF’s sub domains of Knowledge base (A1) and Research management (C2).