Domain A

SPSS

This session will use the SPSS software to enhance your knowledge of the applied statistics and of the package. We will consider data structure as well as the differences between samples and populations.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Common statistical distributions will be introduced.
• Useful methods for graphical, tabular and statistical summaries will be explored, along with various calculations, sorting, selection and transformation.
• Finally, there will be both an introduction to hypothesis testing and Confidence Intervals using both parametic and non-parametic methods.

Facilitator: Dr Yinghui Wei
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 26 November 2019, 0900-1200
• 9 June 2020, 0900-1200

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Introduction to Matlab environment and scripts

Matlab is a powerful piece of software that is a programming language, but which also has some features in common with statistical packages like SPSS, and other features that make it more like a spreadsheet or database. As a result it can seem bewildering and complex. However, at its simplest it is just a very sophisticated calculator with great graph drawing facilities which make many routine data analysis and presentation tasks a breeze. Give it a try before you decide.

Intended learning outcomes:

• To introduce new and inexperienced users to the Matlab programming environment, basic mathematical and statistical operations on small data sets, using the GUI to draw simple graphs, exporting results to document preparation software, and an introduction to scripting.
  

Facilitator: Dr Martin Coath
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 19 February 2020, 1000-1300
• 18 March 2020, 1000-1300

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Matlab environment and scripts - intermediate

Suitable for those that have attended the introductory session or have a little experience with other programming IDE’s.

If you have grasped the basics of Matlab or if you are happy with the idea of programming languages this session will let you explore how to get exactly what you want, in ways that should save you time and effort. We will be exploring how Matlab goes way beyond a simple calculator or spreadsheet and find how new facilities can be added by programming, and how data is stored, retrieved, and presented in a multitude of ways decided by the user.

Intended learning outcomes:

• To explore all aspects of the Matlab programming environment, mathematical and statistical operations using matrices, creating and editing graphs, use of scripts and functions, introduction data structures, introductory program debugging.
  
  

Facilitator: Dr Martin Coath
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 27 May 2020, 1000-1300
  

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

NVivo for beginners

This session will use the latest NVivo qualitative software package to enhance your knowledge of the application.

Intended learning outcomes:

At the end of this session you will be able to:

• Navigate easily around the NVivo interface.
  
• Import text, audio, video, pdf and image files into NVivo.
  
• Be able to title and provide descriptions of the different media content.
  
• Create nodes and coding across a variety of media.
  
• Add titles and descriptions to different media sources and nodes.
  
• Be able to organise your data in a hierarchical structure, and be able to add memos.
  
• Create a Framework Matrix.
  
• Apply NVivo's basic analytical functions, including text searches and word frequency queries.
  
• Be able to create models and export them to Word and PowerPoint.
  

Facilitator: Andy Edwards-Jones
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 18 November 2019, 1600-1900
• 27 January 2020, 1600-1900
• 13 April 2020, 1600-1900

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

NVivo users workshop (intermediate)

This workshop style session is intended to provide you with some dedicated time to start, or continue working with your own research data in NVivo, with facilitator support on hand.

Intended learning outcomes:

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Use your learning outcomes from previous introductory NVivo training and put them into practice using your own data.
  
• Import and organise your own data.
  
• Establish a coding framework for your own data.
• Code your own data.
• Use NVivo's basic analytical functions.
  
• The workshop will be delivered in two parts. Part 1 will involve learning about specific functions of the application such as framework matrices, classifications, queries, autocoding, importing bibliographic databases, and visualisation with models. Part 2 will allow attendees to progress their own NVivo projects using their own data, and address specific areas of interest.
  
  

Facilitator: Andy Edwards-Jones
Applicability: This session is not an introduction to NVivo. It is aimed at research students and staff that have completed the NVivo introductory training workshops or have some working experience of the application, but would benefit from further guidance while progressing their own research work. Participants are encouraged to bring their own research data ready to import into NVivo, or a copy of an existing NVivo project or a laptop with an NVivo project already loaded.

Course dates and times: 

• 23 March 2020, 1600-1900
  
• 1 June 2019, 1600-1900

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Understanding and working with quantitative data

This session will explain the principle methods involved in the analysis of data collected and the basic ideas behind each. The aim of the session is to increase your understanding of the use of statistics and how they are used in scientific and medical research.

Intended learning outcomes

• highlight common errors made and how to avoid them.
  
• demonstrating how to run each test using common software will be given without the use of over-complicated mathematical formulas.
  

Facilitator: Daniela Oehring
Applicability: Suitable for most research students

Course dates and times: 

• 14 November 2019, 0900-1200
• 12 May 2020, 0900-1200

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Introduction to R

R is a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics, which can be easily downloaded from the web. It is now widely used for all types of statistical applications, from official and social statistics to modern methods for computationally based inference.

Intended learning outcomes:
After this short course the participant will have a basic knowledge of R. In particular, the following topics will be covered (some in limited detail):

• using an editor
  
• arithmetic
  
• data in R
  
• R Objects
  
• summary statistics
  
• graphics including ggplot2
  
• linear models and correlation
  
• treading in data from files
• data manipulation using dplyr.
  

The advanced workshop, which builds on the material presented in the Introduction to R course, covers (again in limited detail):

• the general and generalised linear models
  
• data manipulation using dplyr
  
• data visualization using ggplot2
  
• Bayesian statistical inference including hierarchical models
  
• R Markdown
  
• function writing.
  

Facilitator: Matthew Craven
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 6 January 2020, 0900-1200
• 2 March 2020, 0900-1200
• 8 June 2020, 0900-1200

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Geographical information system (GIS) – An introduction

GIS is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present all types of spatial or geographical data. GIS can be used to analyse topographic, environmental, geological, demographic and land use data to help you with your research project management. GIS is a very powerful decision-making tool that has a massive range of applications, whatever your research – environment, surveying, demographic studies, epidemiology, resource management, logistics, planning and transport.

This session will provide an introduction and overview of GIS and its’ two main platforms, ArcGIS by ESRI and the freeware QGIS. To assist you beyond the session it will signpost potential users to additional resources to help you get started.

Facilitator: Christopher Thorpe
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 11 November 2019, 1300-1600

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Geographical information system (GIS) – Users workshop

Please note: this session is only available to participants who have completed the GIS Introduction session and are using GIS or, participants who have some previous experience of GIS and require a refresher training.

This session continues from Geographical Information System (GIS): Introduction and provides an opportunity to focus on specific project needs. Participants are advised to email any GIS related enquiries prior to the session to researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk.

This user’s workshop is designed for participants who have some GIS working knowledge and will signpost users to additional training resources.

Facilitator: Christopher Thorpe
Applicability: Participants must have used GIS prior to attending this session.

Course dates and times: 

• 9 December 2019, 1300-1600 - session postponed
• NEW DATE 13 January 2020, 1300-1600

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

What is LaTeX? – An introduction 

This first session on the LaTeX typesetting software is for everyone, particularly if you have never heard of LaTeX. Even if you are already a LaTeX user come along and join the debate. The time will be split between demonstrations and detailed answers to students questions.

All academics have to write reports and papers of one sort or another. Of most immediate concern to most graduate students is the thesis or dissertation which represents the culmination of an intense and demanding period of study and research.

For almost 30 years there has been debate between those who support general purpose word-processors (such as Microsoft Word) and those who argue that academic writing requires a specialist tool. LaTeX is such a tool and represents the alternative to word-processing. LaTeX is free, designed specifically to handle large complicated cross-referenced academic documents, and has been used successfully for nearly 30 years in all academic fields.

Intended learning outcomes:

• The aim of this introductory session is to allow graduates to discover what it is and to make an informed choice about whether or not to consider using it.
  

Facilitator: Dr Martin Coath
Applicability: Everyone. If you have heard of LaTeX and are not sure what it is then this is your chance to find out. If you have never heard of LaTeX then it could be what you are looking for. Please come along even if you are a LaTeX user and join in the discussion.
Prerequisites: none.

Course dates and times: 

• 5 December 2019, 0900-1000
• 26 March 2020, 1100-1200

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

LaTeX? – Getting started

The second session is aimed at those who are curious to find out more about LaTeX and those who are seriously considering using it. The previous LaTeX session is not a prerequisite but there will only be very limited time for debate and explanation so please do come to ‘What is LaTeX’ so you know what you are getting yourself in to! We aim to achieve three things in this session.

Intended learning outcomes:

• to get LaTeX installed and running on every computer. You will need to bring a laptop running Windows 7 and on which you have full administrative rights. If you have a University issue laptop you will have to contact IT support to be sure you have been made an administrator (there will not be time in this session to cover installation for Mac and Linux users - if you want to take part install Windows in a virtual machine).
  
• to create and edit some simple documents to illustrate as many of the general principles as possible in the time available. This should be enough for you to go away and start experimenting with your newly installed software.
  
• to make everyone aware of the vast array of free LaTeX support material on the internet. After you have mastered the basics you will be able to find books and tutorials that are available to anyone who wants to go further.

Facilitator: Dr Martin Coath
Applicability: Everyone. If you have heard of LaTeX and are not sure what it is then this is your chance to find out. If you have never heard of LaTeX then it could be what you are looking for. Please come along even if you are a LaTeX user and join in the discussion.
Prerequisites: none

Course dates and times: 

• 7 January 2020, 0900-1100
• 18 May 2020, 1400-1600

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

LaTeX?- Pictures, bibliographies tables and other assorted problems

You will need to be familiar with the basics of LaTeX to get the most out of this session. For absolute beginners this means a) coming to both previous sessions and b) having done some practice and research in the time since session 2. Experienced users are very welcome to come along – there are always tips and tricks to be shared.

Intended learning outcomes:
If you have made it this far you will be starting to appreciate that despite the fact that LaTeX offers huge advantages it also has its share of frustrations. Many of these can be dealt easily with help from experienced users. We will deal with the most common problems first, but this session also has time to address any particular issue that you want to bring along.

In particular: the placement of figures, the handling of bibliographies, and the design of tables in LaTeX are frequently raised as ‘problems’, although in fact in most cases the ‘solutions’ are trivial but merely difficult to find. If you are convinced that LaTeX is for you then you should find this session very helpful. If you are still not sure then seeing some of the potential problem dealt with might help you to make up your mind.

Facilitator: Dr Martin Coath
Applicability: Everyone. Please come along even if you are a LaTeX user and join in the discussion.
Prerequisites: You must have attended both previous sessions and have done some practice and research.

Course dates and times:

• 16 June 2020, 1300-1500

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Critical thinking

This session explores how critical thinking is relevant to the researcher's career journey today and tomorrow.

Intended learning outcomes:

• engage with own 'usual' approach to critical thinking in its daily context to research and job responsibilities
  
• broaden awareness of feasible in-house and external activities to further enhance critical thinking skills
  
• consider immediate opportunities to further enhance critical thinking through skills of observation, reasoning, decision making, analysis and judgement
  
• reflect on own adaptions to 'usual' approach to critical thinking.
  
  

Facilitator: Ian Roberts
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 17 March 2020, 1300-1700
• 9 June 2020, 1300-1700

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk

Introduction to Python

This is an introductory course for absolute beginners in Python who are interested in discovering and learning Python programming language. This course will make the participant understand different variable, functions types and performing basic maths operations. You will also learn how to import a local file and read its data.

Intended learning outcomes:

You will become familiar with the basic functions and syntax, in particular, the following topics:-

• variables, data types, comments and math operators
  
• strings and print
  
• conditionals and flow control
  
• functions and importing modules
  
• lists, for loops, tuples and sictionaries
  
• functions.
  

Facilitator: Abdulrahman Alruban
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.

Course dates and times: 

• 10 December 2019, 0900-1300

Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk