Doctoral Training Workshops: 2014-2015 Programme
Co-ordinated by Sue Oreszczyn ()

Programme Assistant: Dave Scott ()
Programme Secretary: Wendy Morgan ()

Please note: sessions may be subject to change, a weekly reminder is therefore sent out. To go on our mailing list please contact the programme secretary.

Date / Theme / Room / Presenters
Tuesday 7 October
10.45 -1pm
Buffet lunch provided from 1pm
Happy Hour 5pm / What is a Research Degree and Getting Going on One
This session provides an overview of the Doctoral Training Workshops programme and then concentrates on exploring the nature of a PhD and the competencies that need to be demonstrated through a PhD project.
It will also help you to begin to develop your networks with other students in the OU
This session will be followed by an EndNote session in the Library Information Literacy Suite, 2nd floor of the Library, from 2-4pm (Note: booking required - ) / Hub suite Juniper & Medlar / Sue Oreszczyn, Dave Scott and Julius Mugwagwa
Tuesday 14 October
10:45 - 1:00pm / Project Planning: What I want to do...and how I might start...
This workshop is designed to help you to organise and plan your PhD work. It will cover issues such as identifying key tasks, at what point these task need to be done and how long they will take to carry out. It will help withsetting milestones, identifying resources and dealing with issues that may arise.
This session will be followed by an EndNote session in the Library Information Literacy Suite, 2nd floor of the Library, from 2-4pm (Note: booking required ) / Juniper & Medlar / Sue Oreszczyn, and Dave Scott
Tuesday 21 October
10:45 - 1:00pm / Academic Writing Process, Text Types and Communities (This links into the PACE sessions on academic writing)
In this session we will begin to consider some of the key issues involved in academic writing at doctoral level and beyond. We will consider why it is important to think of writing as a process, as a set of text types and as varying according to the communities we are writing for. The session will involve writing, discussion of participants’ interests and perspectives, analysis of short extracts of academic writing and an opportunity to consider short and longer term writing priorities.
This session will be followed by an EndNote session in the Library Information Literacy Suite, 2nd floor of the Library, from 2-4pm (Note: booking required - ) / Venables
Ground floor
S0049 / Teresa Lillis (PACE Team)
Half Term
Tuesday 4 November
10:45 - 1:00pm / Why do we need an ethics review process? The advantages for the researcher.
It is suggested that attendees read the information at and come prepared with questions and details of suggested projects that might involve human participants. / Library presentation suite
Ground floor / Duncan Banks
Tuesday 11 November
10:45 - 1:00pm
Change of Venue / Planning and Writing the Literature Review
This session explores the purposes of a ‘Literature’ Review, what are appropriate sources, the reliability of sources and ways of structuring a review. / 2nd Floor Meeting Room / Matthew Cook
Tuesday 18 November
10:45 - 1:00pm / Research Design and Focus
This workshop will help you think about your research questions and consider what makes a good research question. It will help you explore and refine your research questions, consider how they may be converted into doable tasks and set boundaries for your research. The session will also explore how they relate to the research methods you might use. / Venables, S0049 / Sue Oreszczyn, Julius Mugwagwa
Tuesday 25 November
10:45 - 1:00pm / Logics of Enquiry
In this session we think about the logic of enquiry which lies behind your research. We will explore the link between ways of understanding how the world works and the selection of research methods. We end the session with a discussion about the logic of your enquiry and how to tackle this in the probation report. / Library presentation suite, Ground floor / Matthew Cook
Tuesday 2 December
10:45-1:00 / Developing Personal & Professional Support Networks
Developing Personal & Professional Support Networks
This session will focus on the relationships that can make or break your research. We will cover the art of networking, how to manage your supervisors and how to protect your most important relationships while doing postgraduate research. / Library presentation suite, Ground floor / Chris High
Tuesday 9 December
10:45-1:00
Buffet Lunch provided from 1pm / Undertaking Research Presentations - Part 1
This session and the following one in May explore what research presentations should achieve, the common fears that presenters experience and the steps that can be taken to alleviate such fears. After attending these sessions you will be able to: identify the purpose of different types of presentation and the audiences involved, identify what makes a good and presentation, work through the common fears of presenters, use visual materials to support your aural presentation, structure and deliver a research presentation, and defend the outcomes of your research through developing techniques for responding to questions. / Library presentation suite, Ground floor / Trevor Collins, Mark
CHRISTMAS BREAK
Tuesday 13 January
10:45 – 1:00pm / Being "critical" in academic writing: building towards the literature review
In this session we will be considering what being “critical” in academic writing means for you. We will look at some examples of texts by postgraduate writers and published academics, reflecting on the ways in which the authors have communicated critical stance, and how this might differ depending on our discipline, and on the audiences and purposes of our texts. We will then focus on the literature review, using a combination of writing and discussion to explore ways to develop effective critical conversations and so to construct a convincing review of your field. / Venables, S0049 / Jackie Tuck (PACE Team)
Tuesday 27 January
10:45 – 1:00pm / Getting published and the review process
This workshop will cover the different ways that your research may be published and particularly publishing in academic journals. It will help you to understand the review process and how your work will be assessed. / Venables, S0049 / Sue Oreszczyn, Steve Potter
Tuesday 10 February
10:45- 1:00 / A Research Student’s Guide to Intellectual Property Rights
This sessions goes through how students should respect IPR in undertaking their research and also how they can protect their own IPR that arise from their research work. It particularly concentrates of copyright issues and provides guidance on restricted and permitted acts with copyright materials. / Venables, S0049 / Dario Colombo
Tuesday 24 February
10:45- 1:00 / Questionnaire Design
This session is designed to explore the basics of questionnaire design in the context of the survey process. It aims to develop understanding of why questionnaires are used; their strengths and limitations; when to use them; the process of constructing a questionnaire; and to identify the key features of good question design. / Venables, S0049 / Christine Thomas and Rachel Slater
Tuesday 10 March
10:45- 1:00 / Fieldwork with people
This session will consider doing fieldwork with people. Using examples of real research, it will help you to think about practical issues that need to be considered and help you produce a fieldwork plan. It will also cover the different kinds of data collection, what may go wrong and how best to avoid such problems. / Venables, S0049 / Sue Oreszczyn, Dave Scott
Tuesday 17 March / No Session
Research School Induction
Tuesday 24 March
10:45- 1:00
Buffett lunch provided from 1pm / Using technology in research - A hands-on clinic for mobile ICT, audio and video for use in fieldwork
Using technology in research - A hands-on clinic for mobile ICT, audio and video for use in fieldwork
This session will look at the ICT tools a social researcher can use in the field to support their research. It will cover recording devices such as cameras, microphones and audio recorders, as well as Web 2.0 tools, using a hands-on approach to finding out about different kit. Advice on which equipment to use for different projects will also be available. / Venables, S0049 / Chris High
Easter Break
Tuesday 14 April / TBA (Spare Slot) / Venables, S0049
Tuesday 28st April
10:45 – 1:00 / Preparing Conference Presentations –Part 2
(Compliments December 9th session - Undertaking Research Presentations) / Venables, S0049 / Trevor Collins, Mark
Tuesday 12 May and Wednesday 13May
9.00 -5.30pm / 2 DAY STUDENT CONFERENCE
This conference offers an opportunity for you to both practice your skillsin presenting (particularly to a diverse audience) and answering questions about your research in a friendly environment. It is also an opportunity to get feedback from your peers and to support you fellow students. There will also be lots of free food. / CMR 11
Tuesday 19 May 10:45-1:00
Buffet lunch provided from 1pm / Preparing for Probation, PhD and MRes Viva
This session takes students through the three types of viva at the OU: for the MRes, the Probation mini-viva and the PhD. There is an exploration of the purposes of each viva, the process is explained of how assessors/examiners are appointed and what they are required to do and there is guidance on how to prepare for each type of viva. / Venables
Obs lab / Matthew Cook, John Richardson & others