O-Z Course List

This event is for Principal's Teaching Award Scheme (PTAS) committee members and current award holders; including staff, students, and industry partners. Come along for a coffee and a croissant to talk about your PTAS project experiences, ask questions and share ideas with others.  Find out what other PTAS teams are up to in relaxed surroundings.

This workshop is only open to PhD students in the School of Biological Sciences.

This workshop is for 2nd and 3rd year PhD students. It will be taught by senior academic staff in your school who have a great deal of experience supervising and examining PhD theses, together with staff from the College Office.

Through formal presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

• Provide advice and information on how to write a thesis and prepare for the examination process.
• Give detailed information about administrative aspects of thesis preparation, submission and examination.
• It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you.

This course relates to domains A1, C1, and D1 of the RDF.

Workshop Facilitator: David Finnegan

This workshop is for students in the latter stages of their PhD and those about to start writing up. It will be taught by senior academic staff in your school who have a great deal of experience supervising and examining PhD theses, together with staff from the College Office.

Through formal presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

• Provide advice and information on how to write a thesis and prepare for the examination process.
• Give detailed information about administrative aspects of thesis preparation, submission and examination.

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you.

This course relates to domains A1, C1, and D1 of the RDF.

This workshop will cover the process and regulations surrounding thesis writing, submission, examination and final approval.  It will cover both the rules, deadlines and regulations governing the examination for and award of a PhD and will offer guidance and discussion of the process from the student/supervisor perspective.  Thesis-writing is a very individual process, even within a College or School, but there are guidelines and general advice that are relatively generic.

The aim is to de-mystify the thesis-writing process and to equip the course participants with a set of conceptual and attitudinal tools to make that process maximally effective and efficient.

This course relates to domains A1, C1, and D1 of the RDF.

Researchers are frequently required to communicate their projects verbally, whether it is an oral presentation, in a meeting or an interaction at a conference. Performing well in a keynote presentation or impressing at a chance meeting is key to facilitating collaborations, building relationships with future employers and boosting your career. Public speaking and networking are key components to a successful career, both within academia and beyond. This workshop will cover various situations that researchers are faced with regularly with regard to verbal interaction. We will cover oral presentations, short communications, how to pitch your research and how to network effectively. Participants will be introduced to various techniques that they can use and adapt to a variety of situations. Effective verbal delivery and engagement takes practice and this workshop will introduce participants to concepts and techniques that they can use to their advantage. We take a step by step approach to presentations, building up from initial short research pitches to longer conference talks so participants can gain confidence.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to: 

1. been introduced to a series of techniques to aid and structure their presentations;

2. an understanding of how to present & engage with various audiences;

3. gained confidence with regard to delivering effective presentations

Workshop Facilitator: Jo Young

This course is for 1st year PhD students. Through a mixture of short presentations and group discussion this course will:

• give you a clear understanding of the purpose and structure of the First Year Review process
• allow you to meet students who have already completed their First Year Review
• give a chance to ask questions of academic staff within your school
• offer ideas about how to get the most out of the review

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you from across your school.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify the purpose and structure of a first year review

This course relates to domains A1, C2, and D1 of the RDF.

This workshop is for 1st year PhD students in the School of Biomedical Sciences. Through a mixture of short presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

•Give a clear understanding of the purpose and structure of the First Year Review process•Allow you to meet students who have already completed their First Year Review•Give the opportunity to ask questions of academic staff within your school•Offer ideas about how to get the most out of the review

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you from across your school.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify the purpose and structure of a first year review

This course relates to domains A1, C2, and D1 of the RDF.

Workshop Facilitator: Martin Simmen

This workshop is for 1st year PhD students in the School of Engineering. Through a mixture of short presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

•Give a clear understanding of the purpose and structure of the First Year Review process•Allow you to meet students who have already completed their First Year Review•Give the opportunity to ask questions of academic staff within your school•Offer ideas about how to get the most out of the review

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you from across your school.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify the purpose and structure of a first year review

This course relates to domains A1, C2, and D1 of the RDF.

Workshop Facilitator: Prashant Valluri

This workshop is for 1st year PhD students. Through a mixture of short presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

• Giving a clear understanding of the purpose and structure of the First Year Review process
• Allow you to meet students who have already completed their First Year Review
• Give a chance to ask questions of academic staff within your school
• Offer ideas about how to get the most out of the review

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you from across your school.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify the purpose and structure of a first year review

This course relates to domains A1, C2, and D1 of the RDF.

Workshop Facilitator: Dr Shay Cohen

This workshop is for 1st year PhD students. Through a mixture of short presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

Giving a clear understanding of the purpose and structure of the First Year Review process

Allow you to meet students who have already completed their First Year Review

Give a chance to ask questions of academic staff within your school

Offer ideas about how to get the most out of the review

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you from across your school.

This course relates to domains A1, C2, and D1 of the RDF.

This workshop is for 1st year PhD students. Through a mixture of short presentations and group discussion this workshop will

• give you a clear understanding of the purpose and structure of the First Year Review process
• allow you to meet students who have already completed their First Year Review
• give a chance to ask questions of academic staff within your school
• offer ideas about how to get the most out of the review

It also provides an invaluable opportunity to meet and get to know other PhD students at the same stage as you from across your school.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify the purpose and structure of a first year review

This course relates to domains A1, C2, and D1 of the RDF.

The PhD viva is an integral part of the PhD process in the UK. It offers great opportunities for a well prepared candidate to discuss their work with experts in the field.  This workshop aims to demystify the viva process, help build your confidence and give you an overview of the viva in the context of your own PhD research.We will discuss:

• The 'big picture' of your research in terms of originality and contribution
• The role of your supervisor and both examiners
• What to expect on the day - typical questions and possible outcomes
• Any other concerns raised during the workshop

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:1. identify practical strategies to prepare for the viva2. Identify common viva questions and outcomes and clarify what to expect on the day

This course relates to domains A and B of the RDF

Workshop Facilitator: Professor Barbara Webb

This interactive workshop will explore the skills to help you create short but dynamic and powerful presentations that inform and engage your future audiences. We'll start by looking at issues such as confidence and mindset before moving to design, layout, structure and creative engagement before finally moving to dealing with questions and audience interaction. By the end of this workshop you should leave with the creative confidence to move forward to presenting your work with great design, great timing and great interaction

At every stage of your PhD being able to give a clear, effective and informative presentation is an important skill. This workshop, which mixes short interactive lectures, videos and discussion, teaches you the basic rules of giving presentations. This workshop is relevant for individuals from any discipline who have no previous presenting experience, and for those who wish to improve their skills.

After the workshop each participant will:

• understand the importance of preparation
• know how to design a presentation – beginnings, middles and end
• be aware of the effective use of PowerPoint – less is more
• know how to deal with questions

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1. Increase your confidence in developing your professional presence and know how you might present more persuasively2. Understand the origin and purpose of nerves, and how you might address them prior to giving a presentation3. Be better able to have an impact on your audience 

This course relates to domains B1 and D2 of the RDF

You know the theory, you’ve seen hundreds of talks and lectures and you’ve probably even been to a Presentation Skills course where a slick expert stands at the front and makes it all look so easy. But none of this helps. Your insides turn to jelly and your voice wobbles at the mere thought of standing on stage and telling an audience about your work. This, then, could be just the session for you.

Come along, and learn some simple tricks and techniques to help conquer the fear of speaking in public.   We’ll discuss: 

• Overcoming nervousness• Preparing in the right way to help you be at your best• Simple devices that confident presenters use to banish their presentation demons

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

This workshop is for postgraduate researchers in the School of Physics and Astronomy who are preparing an academic poster for presentation at conference.

In this workshop we follow key communication skill guidelines to focus on layout and writing (text). Posters require us to change our academic writing habits and style. We need to write with clarity, conviction and PUNCH (all will be revealed). Finally we'll pitch our work to our peers.

This workshop is run in an interactive and relaxed manner.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify techniques to successfully present a poster

This workshop relates to domains A1 and D2 of the RDF.

This workshop is suitable for all Postgraduate Researchers

The recent global pandemic forced many conferences and events to be cancelled or moved online. Many of these events, in some form, are now going fully online and are asking researchers to present their talks virtually.   Many research groups and Centres for Doctoral Training are doing the same and requiring that research data be presented virtually.    

As such, there’s been a lot of advice about good practice for presenting online (e.g. “put your laptop on books so the camera is at eyeline”).  Such advice is all well and good, but more pivotal for presenters is addressing the questions of:

• how do effective online presenters connect with their audience
• how can we add value to an audience by presenting and how can we make the online experience as stimulating as if we were in the same room
• what devices (verbal / vocal / visual) will help us get a message across

In this short, focussed webinar we’ll try to answer these questions together.  (We’ll also touch on the mechanics of giving an online presentation (backdrops/mic/lights etc) but if what you want is a session purely on which buttons to press on Zoom then this is not for you!)

There will be a small amount of focussing pre-coursework in advance of this webinar.

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

If you're a researcher then at some stage you are going to have to present your findings. It's tempting to get up and just read your paper, but to really speak to your audience you need to be able to communicate skilfully and with conviction. We've all listened to dull presentations so it's worth your while spending a little time to learn how to do it properly.

This workshop will provide a clear step-by-step structure that you can use again and again to give high quality presentations. It will cover:

• How to make your message relevant to your audience
• How to structure and link parts of your talk
• Preparing materials, notes, handouts, powerpoint
• Practicing
• Delivery
• How to handle questions
• Dealing with nervousness

And it will be interactive and fun!

This workshop is suitable for anyone who has to present at a conference or give a seminar or a lecture on their area of expertise

Workshop Facilitator: Hugh Kearns

This workshop is suitable for all Postgraduate Researchers.

A lot of hard work and time goes into conducting research. And then more time and work goes into publishing the results. And yet sadly many papers are never read and many findings are never translated into practice.

It's tempting to think that if you are clever and work hard then people will notice and shower you with rewards. Tempting but probably not true. As well as being clever and working hard you also need to be able to promote yourself and your research.

In this workshop you will learn strategies for:

• Developing a communication strategy
• Pitching your message to the your audience
• How to make it accessible without dumbing down
• Dealing with media and using new media
• Developing your one minute pitch
• Asking for what you want
• Using convincing language
• Self promotion
• Networking, mentoring and collaborating
• Putting yourself in the spotlight
• Dealing with the discomfort of it all

Facilitator:  Hugh Kearns

No matter how well you prepare for your presentation, the part that freaks out most researchers is question time.

What if there are no questions?What if they ask really tricky questions that I can’t answer?Worse, what if they ask really easy questions that I can’t answer?What do I do if I don’t know the answer?What do I do if I can’t understand the question?

Fortunately, you can prepare for question time. You can predict and get ready for most of the obvious questions. And you can learn strategies to deal with the others.

Topics will include:

• Preparing for questions
• Inviting questions
• Dealing with tricky questions
• What to do if you don’t know
• Coping with the anxiety
• Lists of typical questions
• Asking questions
• Who is it for?

This workshop is suitable for all Postgraduate Researchers who need to present their research and answer questions.

Workshop Facilitator: Hugh Kearns

A research poster represents a great opportunity to tell an engaging, graphical research story and a fantastic way to start networking with your peers and non-specialists. 

Regardless of your experience base, this workshop will explore how to design and communicate your research in a simple poster form that will attract an audience, and keep them interested.  We’ll also explore the differences required for ‘live’ and ‘virtual’ poster events. 

During the interactive webinar we will: 

• Help you to understand the do’s and don’ts of a research poster (for a virtual or ‘real’ event)
• Explore what poster devices will help you to get your message across (and so potentially   build your network) in an engaging way
• Tell a research story in an appealing and relatable manner

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

The aim of this writing hour is to give you dedicated time to progress writing projects in a supportive environment. Example projects include: book chapters, journal articles, research proposals and reports.

The session will include a 5-minute check-in at the start to allow you to share hints and tips (optional) and to focus on what you want to achieve in the session, there will then be a full hour dedicated to writing.

This is not a writing workshop, but just gives participants space and time to write.  Participants should come to the session with an idea of what they are going to be working on.

This 1-minute video covers what the retreat session will, and won't involve: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcR47DpBgfQ 

Timetable:

10:00 – 10:05: General check-in and planning

10:05 – 11:05: Writing

11:05 – 11:10: Wrap up and check in

Please note:  This session is also open to Research Staff, however booking is only available via the People & Money Learning App.  Please book a place via the People and Money Learning App. More information and details on how to book can be found here: https://edin.ac/3Ad7oxP

Workshop Facilitator: Dave Filipovic-Carter 

What do research higher degree (RHD) students do to finish on time, to overcome isolation, doubt and writer’s block, and to enjoy the process? And just as importantly what do they do in order to spend guilt-free time with their family and friends and perhaps even have holidays? If this sounds appealing, then this session will be of particular use to you.

This workshop describes the key habits that our research and experience with thousands of students shows will make a difference to how quickly and easily you complete your RHD. Just as importantly, these habits can greatly reduce the stress and increase the pleasure involved in completing a RHD.

The workshop helps you to understand how to increase your effectiveness and outcomes in the following key areas:

• how you deal with your supervisor
• how you structure your study time
• your attitude (or lack thereof!) in relation to your research
• dealing with writer’s block or having difficulty writing
• getting the help you need when you are stuck
• juggling multiple commitments and never having enough time
• keeping on going when the going gets tough

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify strategies for successfully working with your supervisor

2.Identify tools for effective time management

Presented by Hugh Kearns BAgSc, MEd, MMHS

Hugh Kearns is recognised internationally as a public speaker, educator and researcher. He regularly lectures at universities across the world and has recently returned from a lecture tour of the UK and the US which included lectures at Oxford, Harvard and Stanford.

His areas of expertise include self-management, positive psychology, work-life balance, learning and creativity. He draws on over twenty years of experience as a leading training and development professional within the corporate, financial, education and health sectors in Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia. He has coached individuals, teams and executives in a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors.

Hugh lectures and researches at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. He is widely recognised for his ability to take the latest research in psychology and education and apply it to high-performing people and groups. As a co-author with Maria Gardiner, he has published six books which are in high demand both in Australia and internationally.

"Assertiveness is not what you do, it's who you are."  Shakti Gawain

The aim of this workshop is to enable delegates to have a greater self confidence in difficult situations and feel able to express their opinion by:

• Understanding differences between assertive, passive and aggressive behaviours
• Feel confident to ask for what they want and express their opinion
• Expressing their opinion clearly and with confidence

Those who are truly assertive believe not only in the validity of their own views and requests but also of the views and requests of others. Therefore this session will focus on an exploration what an assertive attitude is and how it will influence behaviour. This will be achieved through a blend of case study and situation-based discussion to share knowledge and skills, tutor input, paired work and practise of assertive behaviours.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify the differences between assertive, passive and aggressive behaviour

2.Build self-confidence when dealing with difficult situations

This course relates to domains B1 and D1 of the RDF.

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

This workshop is designed specifically for researchers who are looking to develop their online presence and boost their career prospects through social media. There are now numerous channels available that can be used to amplify your research, promote an enterprising project and attract future employers. In addition, social networks can act as a useful source of information and a personally tailored news feed. We will explore different types of content that researchers can experiment with. What engages people? What should you post and what should you avoid? How can you manage your time on social media and optimise your engagement? In addition to designing an individual social media strategy, the workshop will include a section on legal considerations, privacy and openess. The workshop is designed to cover a selection of mainstream social media tools that can be used to build your online profile. Short group exercises, case studies and the instructor’s personal experience will be included to illustrate key points.

At the end of this workshop researchers will have:

• discussed the various ways to use social media to their advantage with other participants in the workshop;
• an awareness of the legal considerations and privacy issues;
• started to design a social media strategy that they can implement in their own time.

Facilitator: Jo Young

In order for academic reading to be effective, it needs to be a combination of efficient (in terms of speed and retention), strategic (in terms of appropriately targeted) and critical.  This short workshop will give you a number of tools to help you to read more quickly, more strategically and more critically.

The workshop will cover:

Initial exercises to identify personal needs for rapid reading.  Reading and assimilating written material.  Techniques to increase speed of reading, comprehension and retention including dealing with complex and difficult material. A short introduction on how to maintain improved information selection, absorption, retention and recall.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify techniques to increase speed of reading, comprehension and retention

2.Identify your own personal needs for rapid reading

This course relates to domain A1 of the RDF.

Wokshop Facilitator: Steve Hutchinson

Research can be challenging at the best of times. In these difficult days you can get worn down by the isolation, the setbacks and the uncertainty. If you want to stay well, don’t leave it to chance. You need to look after yourself.

In this webinar we’ll discuss:

• Dealing with isolation

• Staying motivated

• Structure and routines

• Keeping focussed

• Dealing with distractions

• How to switch off

• Actions you can take

Facilitator:

Hugh Kearns, Flinders University Australia. Hugh is recognised internationally as a public speaker, educator and researcher. He regularly lectures at universities across the world and is widely recognised for his ability to take the latest research in psychology and education and apply it to high-performing people and groups.

A hands-on introduction to using storytelling techniques for effective research communication. We will look at how to make a story engaging as well as at the variety of creative ways stories can be used to communicate research practices and findings. You will learn simple ways of working with story structure as well as techniques for telling. By the end of the session, you will have an outline of a story about your own research to share.

Please note this workshop requires active participation. You will be asked to take part in group discussion and share creative work as part of the group exercises.

Facilitator:  Alette Willis

A PhD is a challenging undertaking - even if you’re a full-time student with in a supportive department with a network of colleagues around you. If you have a fulltime job, a family and are trying to fit research around them then the challenge increases hugely. There are no easy answers, but this session will take a questioning, coaching and supportive approach to the challenges of working Part Time for a Doctorate.

We’ll collectively discuss strategies that work when it comes to managing time, colleagues, expectations and progress – and we’ll try to give you some insight, tools and maybe even some energy. Come ready to ask questions, talk and share experiences.

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

This workshop is open to all postgraduate researchers

Today's pioneering research is conducted collaboratively and the ability to work as part of a team is rapidly becoming a key to academic success. This short interactive workshop will help you understand what you contribute to and how to be part of an effective team. It will explore leadership and how you can inspire and motivate other members of a team and resolve conflict. You will learn skills that every team leader and aspiring leader should know.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify your own strengths and weaknesses when working in a team

2.Identify the components of a successful team

3.Identify strategies for successfully managing a team

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

This workshop is open to all PGRs

Workshop pre-requisites:

Aim/purpose

-             To illustrate different way in which a text ‘hangs together’

-             To help you check whether your reader will be able to navigate the way your text is organised

Content

-             Text: a complex weaving with many layers

-             Revising to support your reader

-             Ways of ensuring your text is coherent and well-structured, and contains an argument This course relates to domains A1 and D2 of the RDF.

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- check the coherence of units in your text at different levels- check if each unit leads to the next one in a way that will make sense to your reader- check if your text contains an argument that moves towards a conclusion

This workshop will not cover discipline or journal-specific ways of presenting an argument

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop expectations:  

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is open to all PGRs

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop pre-requisites:

Aim/purpose

-             To illustrate different way in which a text ‘hangs together’

-             To help you check whether your reader will be able to navigate the way your text is organised

Content

-             Text: a complex weaving with many layers

-             Revising to support your reader

-             Ways of ensuring your text is coherent and well-structured, and contains an argumentThis course relates to domains A1 and D2 of the RDF.

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- check the coherence of units in your text at different levels- check if each unit leads to the next one in a way that will make sense to your reader- check if your text contains an argument that moves towards a conclusion

This workshop will not cover discipline or journal-specific ways of presenting an argument

Workshop expectations:  

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is open to all PGRs

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop pre-requisites:

-             To illustrate different way in which a text ‘hangs together’

-             To help you check whether your reader will be able to navigate the way your text is organised

Content

-  Text: a complex weaving with many layers

-  Revising to support your reader

-  Ways of ensuring your text is coherent and well-structured, and contains an argumentThis course relates to domains A1 and D2 of the RDF.

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- check the coherence of units in your text at different levels- check if each unit leads to the next one in a way that will make sense to your reader- check if your text contains an argument that moves towards a conclusion

This workshop will not cover discipline or journal-specific ways of presenting an argument

Workshop expectations:  

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

How can it be that so many clever, competent and capable people can feel that they are just one step away from being exposed as a complete fraud? Despite evidence that they are performing well they can still have that lurking fear that at any moment someone is going to tap them on the shoulder and say "We need to have a chat".

The session will explain why high performing people often doubt their abilities and find it hard to enjoy their successes. It will also show the links to perfectionism and self-handicapping strategies such as procrastination, avoidance and over commitment.

At the end of this session you will:

• know what the latest psychological research tells us about the imposter syndrome is and how it operates
• realise how widespread imposter feelings are and why highly successful people can feel like frauds
• be aware of evidence-based strategies that reduce imposter feelings

Workshop Facilitator: Hugh Kearns

The academic community prides itself on its critical ability.  But constant criticism has a cost.  Moreover, research is fraught with knockbacks from journals, job applications and funding rejections.  How we build our confidence and retain our self-belief is pivotal to our success.  Failure to do so leads to the so-called ‘imposter syndrome’ that talented and high-performing professionals frequently feel.  Moreover, people want to lead a rounded life, but simultaneously may feel that to be successful they need to be constantly working. 

It is true that many researchers are vocationally devoted to their fields of study, but in this session we’ll examine the healthiness and actual productivity of a work-life imbalance.  In this short and focussed webinar, we’ll examine the beliefs that help and limit our capabilities, and specifically we’ll focus on:

• Stress-coping mechanisms
• Confidence building, and dealing with ‘Imposterness’
• Building personal resilience
• Personal wellbeing and balance

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

This workshop is open to all PGRs

Starting to write can be one of the most challenging aspects of doing a PhD. This workshop highlights why writers so often postpone writing, and how you can avoid procrastination.

Aims and purpose

-             to help you write more, sooner

Content

-             Reasons and excuses for not writing

-             Starting as a step in a larger process

-             Eight small practical steps that prepare you for drafting

-             Reasons and excuses for not writing

-             Starting as a step in a larger process

-             Eight small practical steps that prepare you for drafting

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- recognise how overwhelm stops you from starting to write- avoid leaping into draft writing without preparation- welcome a bad first draft

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop expectations:

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is open to all PGRs

Starting to write can be one of the most challenging aspects of doing a PhD. This workshop highlights why writers so often postpone writing, and how you can avoid procrastination.

Aims and purpose

-             to help you write more, sooner

Content

-             Reasons and excuses for not writing

-             Starting as a step in a larger process

-             Eight small practical steps that prepare you for drafting

-             Reasons and excuses for not writing

-             Starting as a step in a larger process

-             Eight small practical steps that prepare you for drafting

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- recognise how overwhelm stops you from starting to write- avoid leaping into draft writing without preparation- welcome a bad first draft

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop expectations:

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is suitable for all Postgradute Researchers, but is aimed at those about to start writing up/

This half day workshop explores the practicalities of thesis writing, including planning techniques, appropriate writing style and how to enhance productivity. At the start of the workshop, students are encouraged to share and discuss the challenges associated with writing, before we start discussing structure and expectations. A variety of writing and productivity techniques are introduced and this is complemented by a discussion of software tools that can be helpful. A section on data presentation is also included and examples of good figures are used to illustrate best practice. By the end of the workshop, students will have a clear understanding of what is required of their thesis, they will have initiated their writing, considered the potential pitfalls and know how to avoid them and started to design a writing strategy that works for them.

At the end of this workshop participants will have:

• an understanding of the working structure of a thesis;
• developed a greater awareness of the different stages of the writing process;
• been introduced to techniques for planning their writing and being productive;
• explored how to manage their thesis writing so as to make better use of the time, resources and technology available;

Workshop Facilitator: Jo Young

This workshop will be delivered by the GeoSciences Deputy Directors of PGR and will be useful to any PGR student approaching submission or simply curious about the processes awaiting them further down the line.

Through formal presentations and group discussion this workshop will:

•            Provide advice and information on how to write a thesis and prepare for the examination process.

•            Give detailed information about administrative aspects of thesis preparation, submission and examination.

•            Answer any questions or concerns you might have about this part of your PGR journey.

Research often moves very slowly, but sometimes we need to be able to move very quickly indeed. Last minute conference invitations, grant announcements and journal calls (amongst other demands) all require research teams to mobilize their resources and respond straight away. In this workshop we’ll examine how to respond quickly to opportunities as they arise. We’ll also examine how to write rapidly to a pre-specification and respond to policy consultations and other stakeholder requests.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify strategies to quickly respond to opportunities

Workshop Facilatator : Steve Hutchinson

This workshop is open to all PGRsTalking about your research to people who don’t share your academic background is a skill. In this workshop, you will get a chance to hone that skill, with the support of short explorations in writing.

Aims/purpose

-             to help you look at your research from different angles appropriate for different audiences

-             to help you talk with, rather than at, non-specialists

Content

•            Avoiding the academic drone

•            Templates for capturing what you do, and why it matters

•            Short presentations (no more than three minutes)

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- approach your research from the perspective of someone who doesn’t share your background- draw on more than one way of structuring what your research is about- respond to different kinds of questions

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

In this interactive workshop we will focus on the creativity and personal innovation required to enter this extraordinary challenge. Three minutes to talk about your life’s work with only one visual slide for your audience. But the three-minute challenge is also an ideal preparation for interviews and networking when you are asked to describe your work to others, an invaluable skill.

What will I learn?

You will learn how to plan and execute your three-minute pitch with creativity, innovation and flair. We will explore techniques to prepare both mentally and physically for the competition and learn how to drive your presentation with questions and stories. Finally we will work on visual and real life objects that will add depth and power to your performance.

Who is it for?

PhD students who are thinking about taking part in the university’s three-minute thesis competition and anyone who wishes to develop this new communication skill.

RDF Domain, B1, B2 D1, D2 and D3

Workshop Facilitator: Iain Davidson

This session is suitable for anyone taking part in the Three Minute Thesis Competition

This session will provide you with an opportunity to practice your 3 minute thesis presentation and receive constructive feedback from peers in preparation for the school and college heats. You do not need to have your final presentation prepared, it can be in draft format and you can bring notes or a script with you. However the more prepared your presentation is, the more you will get from the feedback. It is also useful to have your slide available. 

The session is simply an opportunity for you to practice delivering a presentation in front of a small audience, it is not a workshop.

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an international competition celebrating the exciting research conducted by PhD students. Developed by the University of Queensland in 2008, the competition requires contestants to condense their research into a three minute, one-slide presentation for a non-specialist audience.

This information session will give you the opportunity to find out more about the competition and how you can take part, and will cover:

• What is the 3 Minute Thesis Competition
• Who is eligible to take part
• Why should you take part
• The rules and judging criteria
• Competition structure
• Training available
• Q&A

There will also be an opportunity to hear from previous winners and finalists

Workshop Facilitator: Louise McKay

As a busy academic do you feel like you never have enough time to get to your research, particularly the writing part? And that other things like students, administration, committees, emails, project management etc demand all your time? This workshop shows you how to guarantee you spend high quality time on your research outputs. It covers prioritising, goal setting and managing competing demands in a university context. If you want to increase your research output without compromising your work/life balance, then this workshop is for you. Key aspects of this workshop have featured in the journal Nature.

This workshop will show you how to:

• take control of your time
• prioritise
• stop procrastinating and stay motivated
• avoid distractions
• say NO (and understand why it is so hard to do so)
• balance competing demands
• manage email and paperwork
• work the slightly less hard way
• think more realistically about your research productivity

Facilitator:  Hugh Kearns

This session is suitable for all PGRs - but most suited for final year PhDs candidates or candidates who have recently submitted their thesis.

Feeling nervous, uncertain or unprepared when you think about your viva? Attend this session so you know what you need to do!

The viva is almost the end of the PhD. A lot of work leads to this point, but often anxiety can mix with the sense of achievement at completing the thesis. For many candidates the time before the viva is filled with uncertainty about the day, uncertainty about how to prepare well - and stress for what the viva might be like.

Viva Survivor is for postgraduate researchers who want to know how to be ready for their viva.

• learn realistic expectations for the PhD viva;
• identify key practical steps to take before submission;
• explore practical strategies for preparation and the day of the viva.

Time will be spent exploring expectations for both in-person and remote vivas, and there will be plenty of time for Q&A over text chat.

Viva Survivor will be delivered live by Dr Nathan Ryder over Zoom.

Learning Outcomes - after attending this session you will be able to:

- apply knowledge of realistic expectations for the PhD viva to your preparations.

- plan your viva prep and get ready for your viva;

- build confidence for engaging well on the day of your viva.

Session expectations:  Engaging with text chat and poll questions; participant mics will be muted during the session.

This workshop is aimed at all PGRs

Workshop pre-requisites:

1. In preparation for the session, please bring along a 3 - 5 minute presentation to be delivered on the day; the topic can be anything you like. Please don’t be concerned about having a perfect presentation; consider it a work in progress that you can apply the learning to during the session.
2. Complete a short pre-course questionnaire to help the facilitator to tailor the session to your needs (an email with the link will be sent to you prior to the course)

Improve your presentation skills and vocal delivery to compel people to listen to your message. Please note that this workshop focuses on how you create a presentation to engage an audience and deliver effectively rather than the actual content of your presentation or technical aids.

Are you ready to take your vocal and presentation skills to the next level?

Would you like to learn how to use your body and voice to deliver a clear, confident and compelling presentation?

In addition to covering techniques to enhance the structure, content and impact of your presentations, this workshop will promote an awareness of what makes your voice interesting and sustainable and how you can use your body effectively to engage your audience and reinforce your message.

If you feel you are not using your voice to its full potential, or you are concerned that it is not as strong or expressive as you would wish, this course will help you to improve.

As part of the workshop, we will also look at how to use your body language to enhance your communication as well as techniques to manage nerves and enhance your confidence.

Please note that this workshop focuses on how you engage an audience and deliver effectively rather than the actual content of your presentation or technical aids. It does not cover the use of PowerPoint slides, Prezi or similar.

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:

1 Use techniques to ensure your message is memorable and impactful                                                                   

2  Apply a simple structure to ensure your audience is compelled to listen to every word 3 Implement methods to increase audience engagement 4  Warm up your voice and body effectively to develop and protect it 5  Recognise opportunities to use your voice with greater clarity and range of expression 6  Use vocal technique and body language to enhance the impact of your presentation 7  Apply techniques to manage nerves and boost confidence

This workshop does not cover the use of PowerPoint slides, Prezi or similar.

Workshop expectations:

Please note that this is not a passive session or lecture; to ensure you get the most from the training it will include various interactive exercises and all participants are expected to take part in the activities and discussions.

Please note:  This workshop is also open to Research Staff, however booking is only available via the People & Money Learning App.  Please book a place via the People and Money Learning App. More information and details on how to book can be found here: https://edin.ac/3Ad7oxP

Facilitator - Mel Sherwood 

Since the Covid-19 outbreak we are all being forced to work in different ways.  This workshop will examine two key questions for PhD students at this time:

1. How can you effectively manage your time without the day-day routine that you would have previously had.
2. How can you work effectively with your supervisors remotely – how can you ensure the relationship works well.

The webinar will provide you with a series of hints and tips of how to be as effective as you can and will also give you the opportunity to connect with other PhD students who are facing the same challenges as you.

Workshop Facilitator: Robin Henderson

The aim of this workshop is to assist you with thinking about Student / Supervisor relationships and to help you to explore how you could manage these relationships more effectively.

Topics covered will be:

•             Expectations from both parties

•             How to build, manage and maintain supervisory relationships

•             Difficulties and strategies for dealing with potential problems.

In this workshop we deal with your questions, concerns and expectations and provide you with a toolkit to help your understanding of the supervisory agenda.   Our aim will be to help you proactively manage your side of the engagement so as to potentially help to build a relationship that works well for both parties.

Much of the philosophy and many of the models and content in this workshop will be taken from the book:

“Enhancing the Doctoral Experience”  (Hutchinson, Lawrence and Filipovic-Carter 2014)

Facilitator - Steve Hutchinson

Open to all Postgraduate Researchers

These WriteFest ‘Room to Write’ sessions are an opportunity for researchers to have dedicated writing time in a supportive environment and in a quiet space to write without the distractions of emails, the office and everyday life.

These sessions are NOT facilitated by a member of IAD staff, they are simply a dedicated time and space to write. Participants must come with the knowledge of how to plan their writing and manage their own time during the session.

The WriteFest ‘Room to Write’ sessions will have the same principals and follow the same timetable as our core programme writing retreats, allowing you the time and space to develop and progress writing in a distraction free setting whilst giving you the opportunity to speak to others.

Timings:

Morning Session: 09:30 - 12:30

Afternoon Session: 13:30 - 16:30

To avoid disruption please ensure you arrive on time

Participants can attend as many sessions as they wish (subject to space availability). Writing retreats are often very popular so we ask that you please cancel your place with as much notice as possible, if you are unable to attend.

Location:

All retreats are in Room B.09 IAD, 1 Morgan Lane.  More information will be sent upon booking.

Please note that catering is not provided, please bring your own refreshments.  There is a water fountain in the building and a cafe next door.

Writing Clinic Day is an in-person event held by the IAD Academic Developer & Trainer which allows three 90 minute sessions of up to 8 people.During the sessions, you can try out editing strategies that will improve your writing in terms of clarity, structure and argument.

This is a hands-on workshop. You are expected to bring your laptop / device so that you can actively work on your current writing project during the workshop.

FACILITATOR:  Anna Pilz

Please note:  This workshop is also open to Research Staff, however booking is only available via the People & Money Learning App.  Please book a place via the People and Money Learning App. More information and details on how to book can be found here: https://edin.ac/3Ad7oxP

This workshop is open to all PGRs Workshop pre-requisites: You will need to have some of your academic writing available to look at during this workshop. Work in progress is fine.

Your writing style emerges primarily from the way you build sentences. This workshop helps you explore how you typically do that, and highlight common style issues in academic writing. Aims/purpose -             To help you revise your writing with an eye for a style that your reader will enjoy

-             To help you spot where your writing suffers from common pitfalls, and remedy them

Content •            Style and choice

•            Style essentials of all strong writing

•            Style challenges for academic writing (too many words, no energy)

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:

1 pay more attention to how you build sentences 2 bring variety and energy into your style 3 avoid overwhelming your reader Workshop expectations: This workshop requires active participation. You will need to work on your own writing and share your thoughts on the chat

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is for CMVM students only.

This workshop focuses on stylistic aspects of writing. We will look at the mechanics of building sentences and analyse, by means of examples, what helps or hinders the reading process. We will also explore punctuation and how it supports clear thinking.

Learning outcomes - by the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1.Identify key aspects of good writing

2.Understand best practice for academic and creative writing

Pre course information:

Please bring a short piece of (your own) academic writing to this workshop. Work in progress is fine.

IMPORTANT - This is a two part workshop and participants should attend both sessions.

This workshop helps PhD students acquire the skills of writing research papers for peer reviewed journals. It focuses on the critical steps involved in the writing process after the collection and analysis of data. This includes: choosing the right journal; planning the manuscript and getting the ideas into a logical structure; drafting and editing the manuscript; submitting it to the target journal; and successfully navigating the peer review process to final publication.

This workshop is designed for 2nd and 3rd year PhD students who have results ready to write up as manuscripts for journals. During the workshop delegates will start planning and drafting their own research manuscript.

To get the most out of this workshop, delegates should bring results they are ready to write up for publication, and a few PDFs of papers recently published in their target journal. This workshop does NOT cover experimental design and data analysis, nor does it provide a technical editing service.

After attending this workshop you will be able to:

1. understand and identify the steps involved in the writing and publishing process
2. understand how to convert PhD thesis chapters into manuscripts for journals
3. understand why papers fail to be written, submitted or published
4. create a personal action plan to get your PhD results published.

 This workshop relates to domains A1 and D2 of the RDF.

For further information on the RDF visit:  http://edin.ac/2cDDzAE

Workshop Facilitator: David Jones

This workshop is open to all PGRsPre-requisite:You need a copy of an academic article that you plan to refer to in your literature to work with during the workshop

Aim/purpose

-             to help you start writing your first-year literature review — without feeling overwhelmed!

Content

•            Why the literature review matters

•            The big picture: developing a review

•            Zooming in: engaging with key publications

•            Starting to write the review

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- develop a foundation for your literature review- use a template to take effective notes that create continuity between different publications- adopt a step-by-step approach to your literature review, without going down rabbit holes

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

This workshop does not cover online literature searches.

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is open to all PGRsPre-requisite:You need a copy of an academic article that you plan to refer to in your literature to work with during the workshop

This workshop offers ways of ensuring that your literature review meets these requirements.

-             to help you start writing your first-year literature review — without feeling overwhelmed!

Content

•            Why the literature review matters

•            The big picture: developing a review

•            Zooming in: engaging with key publications

•            Starting to write the review

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:- develop a foundation for your literature review- use a template to take effective notes that create continuity between different publications- adopt a step-by-step approach to your literature review, without going down rabbit holes

This workshop does not cover online literature searches.

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

Please note there is pre-course work for this workshop - see below.

Back by popular demand, we're delighted to have Philip steer us through a follow-up session entitled 'Your other most important skill' covering writing skills.The abstract, in Philip's words:

Your Most Important Skill. You have many skills, but one that will serve you best in life is the ability to communicate---it is even more important than the ability to have good ideas. If you are horrible at writing don't give up hope, and if you are wonderful don't feel smug. Study will always improve your abilities and there are a vast number of resources to help. This class will present tips on how to write better and review some of the available resources. The course is taught by Prof Philip Wadler, FRS, who Please come with your questions and your own tips!

This workshop is for 2nd and 3rd year PhD students in the School of Informatics

This workshop describes the purpose and stages of writing research papers and getting them published.

Over the course of the afternoon, we will cover:

(1) Publishing research.

(2) Sorting out your ideas.

(3) The structure of publications.

(4) Writing and submitting papers.

(5) The refereeing process.

We will draw on specific examples, including personal anecdotes, as illustrations.

By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

(1) Identify the key elements of a good Informatics paper

(2) Identify the key stages in producing an Informatics paper

(3) Identify appropriate venues in which to publish

IMPORTANT:  Pre-course work

Please note that you are asked to write a 1000 word summary of your research project. Please bring this summary to the course with you. It is essential that you do this or you will not be able to play a full role in the practical part of the course. (It's ok to re-use text from your existing writing.)

This workshop relates to domains A1, A2, A3 and D2 of the RDF.

Biography. Philip Wadler, FRS, is Professor of Theoretical Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh and Senior Research Fellow at IOHK. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and an ACM Fellow. He is head of the steering committee for Proceedings of the ACM, past editor-in-chief of PACMPL and JFP, past chair of ACM SIGPLAN, past holder of a Royal Society-Wolfson Research Merit Fellowship, winner of the SIGPLAN Distinguished Service Award, and a winner of the POPL Most Influential Paper Award. Previously, he worked or studied at Stanford, Xerox Parc, CMU, Oxford, Chalmers, Glasgow, Bell Labs, and Avaya Labs, and visited as a guest professor in Copenhagen, Sydney, and Paris. He has an h-index of over 70 with more than 25,000 citations to his work, according to Google Scholar. He contributed to the designs of Haskell, Java, and XQuery, and is co-author of Introduction to Functional Programming (Prentice Hall, 1988), XQuery from the Experts (Addison Wesley, 2004), Generics and Collections in Java (O'Reilly, 2006), and Programming Language Foundations in Agda (2018). He has delivered invited talks in locations ranging from Aizu to Zurich.

This creative and innovative workshop is for PhD researchers who are preparing their academic poster for presentation at conference or seminars. In this workshop we explore key visual design and communication skill guidelines to focus on layout, visual impact and powerful writing (text). Posters require us to change our communication approaches, writing habits and style. We will learn to write and design with clarity, conviction and impact by using design-thinking methods and understanding what does, and does not, work on a wall and on a PC.

The aim is to explore your untapped creative and personal communication strengths through a well-designed and beautifully communicated message on a poster: potentially your CV on a page! There is an optional follow up workshop 'Presenting your Poster Pitch' which gives you the opportunity to practice presenting your poster.

List of Learning Outcomes. By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

1. Identify the key elements of a good poster presentation

2. Identify your own strengths in communication and presentation

Pre-requisite: You will need to have some material that you are planning to develop into an article (such as draft paper, a thesis chapter or some notes) and have this to hand during the workshop. Publications are central to academic careers, but the route to getting your work published can be perplexing. This workshop breaks the process down into stages, offering ‘good to knows’ for each one.

Aims/purpose

-             to prepare you for publishing material on the basis of your PhD

-             to familiarise you with the review process

Content

•            Criteria for a publishable paper?

•            Choosing a journal

•            The nitty-gritty of your manuscript

•            The review process

•            Turning your dissertation into a book

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:

1 check if your draft paper meets essential requirements for publication 2 research journals, keeping different criteria in mind 3 submit to a peer-reviewed journal, with realistic expectations

This workshop does not cover discipline- or journal-specific publication conventions

Workshop expectations: This workshop requires active participation. You will need to look at some of your writing from a publishing perspective, and share your thoughts on the chat.

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

This workshop is open to all PGRs and Research Staff This workshop is for you if you’d like to write a blogpost about your research or indeed to blog regularly. We’ll explore what you need to keep in mind when blogging (e.g., your reader!) Aim/purpose

-             To make you think about your research from the perspective of a wider audience

-             To get you started on writing a blogpost

Content -             Blogging in academia

-             The potential impact of blogging

-             Features of a good blogpost

-             Developing a blogpost

-             Taking it further

Learning Outcomes - after attending this workshop you will be able to:

1  select a potential platforms for a blogpost of yours 2  start developing a blogpost 3 decide if you want to pursue blogging further

This workshop will not cover how to use specific blogging software, e.g., WordPress, or how to choose images to accompany your text. Workshop expectations: This workshop requires active participation. You will need to work on a blogpost related to your research, and share your thoughts on the chat.

Workshop Facilitator: Mimo Caenepeel

Workshop Time - 10:00 – 12:30

Questions and Discussion (optional) - 12:30 – 13:00

Please note:  This workshop is also open to Research Staff, however booking is only available via the People & Money Learning App.  Please book a place via the People and Money Learning App. More information and details on how to book can be found here: https://edin.ac/3Ad7oxP

This workshops is suitable for PhD students in the School of Informatics who are about to start writing up their thesis. 

In this short workshop, we consider the task of writing an Informatics PhD thesis, discuss the different approaches that can be taken in terms of creating this document (possibly involving already published papers).   We will present some example theses and discuss their layout and structure, and we will also discuss the Examiner forms (filled by Internal and External examiners) and the considerations that the Examiners must make.   There will be a discussion of how to structure and flesh-out a thesis, with some basic writing tips.

The session will also include a breakout session where students can discuss their own thesis structure with others.  It will then finish with a Q&A.

Workshop Facilitators: Peter Bell, Mary Cryan