Research Training: Engagement, influence & impact
Researcher Development Framework - Domain D
1. Working with others
- Actively works in an inclusive, respectful and constructive way with colleagues, stakeholders and research users.
- Recognises and acknowledges the contribution of others and own part in team success.
- Builds relationships in academic and commercial contexts; approachable and interacts constructively with others; manages expectations and resolves conflict.
- Supervises, mentors and develops the potential of less experienced researchers and colleagues through support and advice.
- Leads, motivates and influences where appropriate; persuades through listening and convincing discussion.
- Builds and sustains collaborative relationships and works pro-actively to create and develop knowledge with a range of stakeholders, including researchers, funders and users of research.
Attitude:
- Respects the inclusive and collegial manner in which researchers conduct relationships within and beyond academia.
- Recognises the potential for working in sustained partnerships with a range of stakeholders to generate new ideas, insights and maximise the potential for wider societal and economic impact.
- Respects individual difference and diversity.
2. Communication and dissemination
Knowledge of:
- Appropriate communication and dissemination mechanisms for different audiences.
- The importance of engaging in the processes of publication and dissemination of research results and impacts.
Behaviour:
- Communicates effectively in both written and oral modes with a range of audiences formally and informally through a variety of different techniques and media.
- Actively engages in publication and dissemination of research results and impacts.
3. Engagement and impact
Knowledge of:
- Global, organisational, cultural, economic, and environmental contexts, and the wider impact of research.
- The social and ethical implications of research, and public attitudes to these issues.
- The range of mechanisms to support knowledge transfer and maximise the impact of research in academic, economic and societal contexts.
Behaviour:
- Engages with and shares research through research-informed and student-focused teaching.
- Contributes to increasing public awareness, engagement and understanding of research and associated impacts.
- Identifies innovative trends, ideas and applications; is enterprising and entrepreneurial within and beyond academia.
- Works collaboratively with all stakeholders to create, develop and exchange research knowledge to influence and benefit policy development, society and the economy; seeks new outlets and promotes the application of research in innovative ways.
- Appreciates and works with diversity and difference in research and education.
Attitude:
- Values the contribution of research to teaching and teaching to research.
- Recognises the importance of accountability of research with regard to social and economic impacts, internationalisation and global citizenship.
Upcoming workshops
How to use the media to publicise your research
The course is designed as interactive and practical, but as the aim is to instil confidence in interaction with the media, trainees are taken through guidelines, techniques and mnemonics before engaging in practical exercises.
These include understanding the elements of a good news story, techniques for taking control of the interview, and for handling difficult or aggressive questioning.
The final exercise is the most exciting and challenging, a filmed TV interview, which is then analysed in playback. The trainers prepare individual interview scenarios, so it is vital they have the names and study interests of each participant before the training.
Detailed handouts are provided to reinforce the lessons after the workshop has ended. Even if you have no plans to talk to journalists, the communication you’ll gain will help you in any situation where you need to explain your ideas to people outside your field – potential funders, cross-disciplinary collaborators or businesses.
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of the workshop the participants will:
- know how to identify newsworthy, 'media-friendly' elements in their research
- know how to 'pitch' their research to the media
- gain confidence in giving expert comments to the media
- gain confidence in giving interviews to print media, radio and TV.
Facilitator: Tim Grout-Smith and Lily Poberezhska, Media Players International
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff
Course dates and times:
- TBC
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Identifying where to publish
This session will introduce tools and journal metrics to use when identifying potential venues in which to publish, consider the strengths and weaknesses of these tools, and suggest evaluation criteria to aid decision making in choosing an appropriate journal.
Facilitator: Library Research Support
Applicability: Research students at any stage who have publications
Course dates and times:
- 14 November 2022, 10:30–12:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 28 February 2023, 14:00–15:30 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 15 May 2023, 14:00–15:30 UK time (online via Zoom)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Designing an effective research poster
In the realm of academia, a research poster isn't just a display – it's a declaration of your hard work, insights, and expertise. This session underscores the significance of a well-designed poster in capturing the attention and admiration of your peers. Whether you're a novice wanting to learn the ropes or a seasoned researcher seeking constructive feedback on a pre-existing design, this class will provide you with the tools and knowledge to make your research stand out.
Key learning outcomes
Understanding importance:
- grasp the role of research posters in academic settings and professional development
- recognise the impact of a well-presented poster on audience engagement and knowledge dissemination.
Design principles:
- learn the basics of effective design, from colour schemes and typography to layout and flow
- understand how to prioritise and present information for maximum clarity and impact.
Engaging content creation:
- discover techniques to make your research narrative engaging and memorable
- develop skills in translating complex data into visually appealing infographics.
Feedback and iteration:
- engage in constructive peer review sessions to refine and perfect your poster design
- incorporate feedback to iterate and produce a more compelling poster.
Note: If you've previously designed a research poster and are open to feedback, bring a copy to the session. This will allow for a richer, more interactive learning experience.
Facilitator: Daniela Oehring
Applicability: All research students
Course dates and times:
- 23 November 2023, 13:30–15:30 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 9 May 2024, 13:30–15:30 UK time (online via Zoom)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Postgraduate Research Showcase
The Postgraduate Research Showcase is a platform for postgraduate student presentations. The showcase adopts a balanced approach where a presenter shares their knowledge with the audience and in return, the audience provides valuable feedback on their work.
The Doctoral College invites all postgraduate students to present their research findings and work in progress and to exchange ideas and experiences, showcase the excellent work of postgraduates and share best practices at the University of Plymouth.
We wish to invite all postgraduate students who are interested in communicating their research to join us and participate in this great event.
To register your interest to present, show a poster, exhibition or demonstration please contact researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk.
The successful selection of abstracts will be based on the appeal to both a wider and non-specialist audience.
Enquiries and audience bookings: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk.
Course dates and times:
- 25 January 2024, 1400-1600 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 21 March 2024, 1030-1230 UK time (on campus)
- 30 April 2024, 1400-1600 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 20 June 2024, 1030-1230 UK time (on campus)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Presenting at conferences
This session will cover the essentials of preparing materials for oral conference presentations from a construction of slides and of the presentation itself to the physical logistics such as working with different sized audiences and different room shapes to tips when using lapel microphones and on throwing one’s voice.
Facilitator: Rich Boden
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.
Course dates and times:
- TBC
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Academic Writing Surgery
The academic writing surgery is an opportunity for participants to address specific issues they are experiencing in their academic writing, discussing ways to overcome these issues, as well as outlining critical elements of academic writing. It will introduce practical hints, tips and strategies for participants to use in relation to the process of writing and offer guidance on ways participants can improve the quality of their work, further exploring how these might be interpreted in specific disciplines.
Discussing the shared experiences of all participants will provide a rich environment from which everyone will all be able to learn. The session is facilitated by Dr Joe Allison, who has more than 15 years of experience in supporting and developing writing in higher education. This professional expertise is backed up by the personal experience of wrestling with his own doctorate over a seven-year period.
This session is offered both in person (3 hours) or online (2 hours), see below for the schedule.
Facilitator: Joe Allison
Course dates and times:
- 3 October 2023, 10:00–13:00 UK time (on campus)
- 14 November 2023, 14:00–16:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 6 December 2023, 12:00–15:00 UK time (on campus)
- 15 January 2024, 10:00–12:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 13 February 2024, 10:00–12:00 UK time (on campus)
- 14 March 2024, 12:00–14:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 17 April 2024, 10:00–12:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 7 May 2024, 14:00–16:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 13 June 2024, 12:00–14:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 8 July 2024, 10:00–12:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Presenting to an audience
The aim of this session is to enable participants to gain confidence in their presentation skills and improve their presentation performance. The session provides an overview of presentation skills and experiences for face-to-face and online audiences. The session also gives participants an opportunity to consider and improve their own presentation skills.
Participants are invited to practice a short presentation during the session and are encouraged ahead of the session to prepare a 3 minute presentation with slides on their research subject.
Facilitator: Sarah Kearns and Terri Rees
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and research staff.
Course dates and times:
- TBC
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
An introduction to research impact: making your mark in the world
The aim of this session will be to see how your research can have an impact in the wider world beyond academic. During the session, we will discuss what research impact means to academics, funding bodies and other stakeholders, how it relates to your own research and the importance of embedding impact strategies into your research from the earliest stages.
This workshop will have both taught and practical components, where we will discuss the potential and real impact of your individual research projects and interests.
Facilitator: Jane Minett
Applicability: Suitable for most research students and staff
Course dates and times:
- 16 January 2024, 10:00–11:30 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 3 June 2024, 14:00–15:30 UK time (online via Zoom)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Online profiles and tools for authors
This session will provide guidance on maintaining an accessible online presence for your research outputs on databases such as ORCID, Web of Science, and Scopus. It will also provide guidance on how tools such as Altmetric and Kudos can be used to monitor and maximise the visibility and impact of your research.
Facilitator: Library Research Support
Applicability: Suitable for all research students and staff
Course dates and times:
- 9 November 2023, 11:00–12:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 13 February 2024, 10:00–11:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
- 24 May 2024, 14:00–15:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Introduction to Open Research
This session introduces the landscape around Open Research, including ‘Plan S’, how it is affecting global scholarly communication and how this translates into local policy and practice for researchers in the UK.
Facilitator: Library Research Support
Applicability: Suitable for all research students and staff
Course dates and times:
- 22 November 2023, 10:00–12:00 UK time (on campus)
- 15 January 2024, 11:00–12:00 UK time (on campus)
- 15 May 2024, 14:00–15:00 UK time (online via Zoom)
Bookings and enquiries: researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Thesis Writing Retreat
Thesis Writing Retreat is an intensive and supportive writing environment for postgraduate research students. The idea is to give you the necessary time, space, and encouragement to make significant progress on your draft thesis. It is not designed to provide specific advice on editing, restructuring, or polishing a thesis – the focus of Thesis Writing Retreat is to enable you the space to write a large number of words.
Support is provided through writing space, short tutorials, group discussion, and 1:1 consultations with the facilitators. Attendees will be required to complete preparatory tasks to get the most out of the event.
Eligibility:
- University of Plymouth postgraduate research students (PhD/ResM/MPhil/Professional Doctorate) are eligible to apply.
- Thesis Writing Retreat is not for editing, revising, preparing presentations or grant applications, etc. In other words, you must be able to identify the particular chapter or chapter(s) of your thesis that you will specifically work on as part of your Thesis Writing Retreat goal.
- You are able to clearly identify how you would benefit from an intensive period of drafting a particular section of your thesis.
- You are available to attend all sessions on-campus, to complete preparatory tasks in the lead up to the event, and to commit to the ethos of dedicated writing required at Thesis Writing Retreat.
How to apply:
- Please provide a paragraph that outlines how you will benefit from attending the Thesis Writing Retreat (maximum 250 words). Email to researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
- Please arrange for your Director of Studies to confirm they support your attendance at the Thesis Writing Retreat. Directors of Studies to email researchskills@plymouth.ac.uk
Course dates and times:
- 30–31 October 2023, 09:00–17:00 UK time (on campus)
- 29 February – 1 March 2024, 09:00–17:00 UK time (on campus)
- 27–28 June 2024, 09:00–17:00 UK time (on campus)
The event is non-residential however, participants are expected to commit to attending both full days on-campus.
Online training through LinkedIn Learning
All students and staff to have access to LinkedIn Learning, a continually growing and evolving library of training videos and tutorials covering a wide range of software, technologies and business topics. Students and staff members can take advantage of free 24/7 access to the entire library of training; this includes:
- Over 5,000 online courses with over 245,000 videos.
- A vast array of subjects and software presented by carefully selected authors, classroom educators, best-selling authors, and recognised authorities.
- Rich features including bookmarking videos, chapters or courses for future reference, create collections, make notes and undertake knowledge checks.
- Use Learning Paths where industry experts teach you the knowledge and skills to start your career.
What you can do:
- Manage information in your personal profile.
- Keep track of your course history and recent activity.
- Bookmark your favourite courses or videos.
- Earn certificates of course completion and share these on your LinkedIn profiles.
- Access from a range of devices.
- Create collections.
Getting started
- Any University of Plymouth student or staff member can access the LinkedIn Learning online training materials.
- View a quick tour on Navigating the online training library.
- View the Frequently asked questions.
Learning
- Take tutorials to help with coursework.
- Learn techniques for your own projects.
- Build technical skills to enhance your CV.
Teaching
- Assign tutorials for project or course work.
- Incorporate individual LinkedIn Learning videos or courses in your curriculum.
- Provide tutorials to supplement a teaching.
Professional development
- Take tutorials to boost your productivity.
- Explore new technologies on your own.
- Enhance your C.V. with LinkedIn Learning.