May is a massive month for PG life at AUT. We have over 25 workshops on the go, including lots of writing support and careers workshops tailored specifically to PG students (whether you are seeking a career in academia or in industry). On 14 May we also have a pair of online workshops for qualitative research beginners – featuring qual analysis in the morning and writing in the afternoon (if you get in quick, you can book both!). Registrations are via eLab (or use the link for your particular workshop in the table below).
We are so excited for the PG Mix & Mingle on Thursday 23rd May from 4:00 – 5:30pm, because we have a great line-up of Pecha Kucha presentations (20 slides; 20 seconds per slide) from many talented members of our PG community! Come along to hear about the research and experiences of your PG colleagues, and to enjoy some delicious nibbles and non-alcoholic drinks. Register to attend here.
We’re also off to Vaughan Park for a writing retreat at the end of the month. If you’re confirmed to join us – we look forward to seeing you! If you missed out for this one, you can always apply here to attend the next retreat in November.
Postgraduate Research Workshops in May 2024
| What? | Where? | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Systematically searching for health literature This Library workshop will take you through the literature searching process: developing a search strategy, searching health databases in a systematic way, and best practices for recording and managing results. Please have your research question handy so you can use it to develop and practice your search. | Online | Wed 1 May, 11:30am – 1:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Connecting sections and chapters This workshop explores how we can organise research writing so that our readers clearly see how sections within a chapter and different chapters connect. Bring a research article that you think has a nice flow (one you think it is well written and easy to follow). Suited to research students who have fully drafted at least one chapter or article. | City campus | Wed 1 May, 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| Getting started with library research A Library workshop for new AUT postgrads or those returning to study. We aim to give you a good understanding of the types of resources available from the Library and databases and/or search engines you may use in your literature research. | Online | Wed 1 May, 5:30pm – 6:30pm and Tue 21 May, 12:00pm – 1:00pm |
| Literature searching for postgraduate research This Library workshop will guide you through the literature searching process: developing a search strategy, searching databases systematically, using key search techniques, and evaluating, recording and organising results. Please have your research question handy so you can use it to develop and practice your search. | Online | Thu 2 May, 4:00pm – 5:30pm |
| Thesis writing: Highlighting research significance Explores where and how you can make your research findings stand out. Participants will consider ‘what matters’ and ‘who cares’ and where this information goes. Bring an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing. Suited to PG research students who already have their research findings. | Online | Thu 2 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm and Tue 28 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Thesis writing: Using literature to support your view Discusses writing strategies and reasons for bringing in past research to support your own arguments. Participants will practice precise language that changes the extent to which you may agree or disagree with the views of others. Bring an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing. Suited to PG research students. | Online | Tue 7 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Thesis writing: Introductions An overview of the structure of an Introduction section of a thesis. Identifies typical functions and distinctive features of this section in relation to the whole research project. Participants analyse and discuss text examples and relate these to their own writing. | Online | Wed 8 May, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Writing an abstract for a conference or symposium This workshop is designed for students who aim to present their research at a conference or symposium. It will cover the principles of writing an abstract for a presentation. | Online | Wed 8 May, 1:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Finding scholarship funding for postgraduate studies This workshop will show you how to search for and find various scholarship and research funding avenues and receive tips on how to draft up an application for external funding. There are different sources of funding for every postgraduate course and for every type of candidate. | Online | Thu 9 May, 10:00am – 11:00am |
| Thesis writing: Conclusions An overview of the structure of a Conclusion section of a thesis. Identifies typical functions and distinctive features of this section in relation to the whole research project. Participants analyse and discuss text examples and relate these to their own writing. | Online | Thu 9 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Qualitative analysis for beginners This workshop provides a focused introduction to qualitative data analysis, and will cover the key stages in the process such as data preparation, coding, and identifying patterns in your data. It is interspersed with practical tips and aims to leave attendees feeling more confident in approaching this vital—but inevitably messy—stage of the research cycle. | Online | Tue 14 May, 10:00am – 12:00pm |
| Qualitative writing for beginners This training course covers tips and tricks for writing up qualitative research, as well as techniques for getting started and keeping going. A demonstration of the writing process is also provided. There will be guidance on representation of the researcher’s voice, which can be a challenge for those new to qualitative approaches. Practical ideas for working with NVivo outputs, and effective use of verbatim extracts will also be covered. | Online | Tue 14 May, 1:00pm – 3:00pm |
| Writing clear and persuasive arguments Considers fundamental differences between writing descriptively and persuasively. Participants will look closely at why some arguments are easy to follow. We also consider the way language enables us to control how much we align with other points of view. Bring an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing where you are either writing about past literature or discussing your research findings. | Online | Tue 14 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Generating content for online researcher profiles Focuses on thinking through who you are as a researcher for the purpose of generating and refining content for research profiles. Engage in practical activities to identify and reflect on what you research, how and why you research it, and who is in your research network. Bring a device and be prepared to log in to AUT’s Microsoft 365 during the workshop. | Online | Wed 15 May, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Postgrad Students Wellness Toolkit session: Navigating relationships This session covers relationships and communication, particularly between you and your postgraduate research supervisor(s). The quality of the supervisor-supervisee relationship has been found to significantly affect the pace of research progress. The session’s aim therefore is to help you to have a good supervision relationship to enhance your postgraduate experience and academic success. | Online | Wed 15 May, 3:00pm – 4:00pm |
| Getting started with writing Focuses on strategies to help researchers digest reading in preparation for writing about what you’ve read. Participants try freewriting and mapping concepts as strategies to get words on the page and then create more structured writing. Bring an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing. | Online | Thu 16 May, 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| Thesis formatting: The works This workshop focuses on the best ways to use Microsoft Word to handle a long document such as a thesis. Topics covered will include: using styles, section breaks, table of contents, page numbering and using various techniques to move around a long document easily. | City campus | Sat 18 May, 9:00am – 2:00pm |
| Publishing for postgraduates and early career researchers This Library workshop will help you find relevant publications for your research. You will learn about the elements of a publishing strategy and how to find and evaluate journals to publish in. | Online | Mon 20 May, 12:00pm – 1:30pm |
| Your thesis and copyright A practical workshop to help you understand the fundamentals of copyright and how it applies to research. Evaluate third party copyright material and learn the best ways to seek permission, and understand open licensed images and how to find them. | Online | Tue 21 May, 12:00pm – 1:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Fine-tuning your literature review Introduces a process to cross-check how a literature review connects to other sections, such as findings and discussion chapters or parts of a journal article. Participants will use their own work to visually track where concepts are first introduced and then continue to be used. Suited to research students who have already drafted both their research findings and literature review. | Online | Tue 21 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| CV, cover letter & job interview tips for academic roles Getting a job in academia is hugely competitive. If you want to stand a chance of succeeding, you’ve got to stand out. This workshop can help you understand what you should be adding to your CV or articulating in a job interview for a role in the academic world. | Online | Wed 22 May, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Literature reviews An overview of the structure of literature reviews within a thesis. Identifies typical functions and distinctive features of this section in relation to the whole research project. Participants analyse, discuss and relate text examples to their own writing. Systematic reviews are not covered. | Online | Wed 22 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| CV, cover letter & job interview tips for working in industry This workshop can help you understand what you should be adding to your CV or articulating in a job interview for a job in industry. | Online | Thu 23 May, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Thesis formatting: Introduction Fully booked; waitlist available This workshop provides an introduction to Microsoft Word for academic writing. Learn formatting, editing and file management skills so that you are ready to start your thesis writing with confidence. This workshop provides an overview of MS Word for academic purposes, and is designed to answer your questions and clear up your confusion. | City campus | Sat 25 May, 9:00am – 12:00pm |
| Open Access without APC: Read and publish options at AUT Te Mātāpuna Library & Learning Services has agreements with some publishers that enables AUT authors to publish open access in some journals without paying the Article Processing Charge. Find out the what, where and how of our Read & Publish options. | Online | Tue 28 May, 12:00pm – 1:00pm |
| Session 1: Systematic Literature Review (SLR) – curious! Part one of a series of three workshops exploring systematic reviews. How is a systematic review different from a literature review? Why do people have different ideas on what a SLR actually is? Is it the right type of research for me? | Online | Tue 28 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Connecting parts to the whole Discusses how the different parts of a thesis connect to each other. Participants will analyse examples relevant to them and practice using language to clearly show how existing knowledge connects to their new research, to what others may do with it in the future, and where that information gets organised across a thesis. Bring an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing. Suited to PG research students. | City campus | Wed 29 May, 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| Growing your research impact Research impact defines the way in which your research influences and creates benefits to society, the environment, culture and innovation. This Library workshop provides practical tips for growing your research impact. Learn how to plan for research impact; make your research accessible and easy to find; and communicate your research findings effectively. | Online | Wed 29 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Discussions Provides an overview of the structure of discussion sections within a thesis. Identifies typical functions and distinctive features of this section in relation to the whole research project. You will analyse and discuss text examples and relate these to your own writing. | Online | Thu 30 May, 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| *NEW* Designing research posters that pop Learn to tailor your poster content to emphasise your key points, and get practical tips for designing an effective and dynamic poster that grabs the attention of your audience. | Online | Thu 30 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
