As we enter the final quarter of the year, we hope your research is going well – and that those of you finishing your programme in 2024 are holding up OK with the late-stage workload.
If you are trying to finish your thesis or dissertation (or even if you just need a productivity boost), this may be perfect timing for a Postgraduate Writers’ Retreat – 2.5 days of distraction-free writing at the Vaughan Park Retreat Centre on Long Bay beach. There’s one coming up from 18-20 November, and applications close this Friday 4 October. Accommodation and meals are provided, and writing experts are on hand for consultations. It’s all free to you, so ahead and apply – there’s nothing to lose!
We are also looking forward to celebrating our doctoral scholarship award winners with a special ceremony and social function on Thursday 17 October. All are welcome – so register to attend for celebrations, good food, and great company. Congratulations to those being honoured!
Last but not least, don’t forget that it’s Labour Day on Monday 28 October – we hope you enjoy a good rest from your academic labour! Here is a selection of things on around Auckland; why not do something different or unexpected with the free day?
Read on for our round-up of workshops in October.
Postgraduate Research Workshops in October 2024
| What? | Where? | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral oral examination: Q&A forum This forum is an opportunity to ask questions about aspects of the doctoral oral examination. Please note, you must watch the ‘Doctoral Oral Examination: Processes’ and ‘Doctoral Oral Examination: Presenting Well’ videos available on the PG_Me organisation on Canvas prior to attending. | Online | Tue 1 Oct, 10:00am – 10:30am |
| Responsible use of GenAI in research Fully booked; waitlist available This workshop will introduce a range of popular AI tools and their applications in conducting research and help you to critically evaluate their uses. The session will also explore ethical and academic integrity considerations in AI use with reference to AUT’s current guidelines. | City campus | Tue 1 Oct, 12:00pm – 1:30pm |
| 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 | Tue 1 Oct, 2:00pm – 4:00pm and Thu 24 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Introduction to mixed methods This workshop will provide a foundational understanding of mixed methods research. Attendees will explore the key principles of mixed methods, including design strategies, implementation techniques, and methods of data interpretation. The workshop will focus on practical skills, demonstrating how to integrate different data types to address research questions effectively. | Online | Wed 2 Oct, 10:00am – 12:00pm |
| Session 2: Systematic Literature Review (SLR) – A deep dive into search techniques Fully booked; waitlist available Building on the content covered in session one, this workshop will take you through an advanced literature searching process. Learn how to develop a search strategy, how to search databases in a systematic way, where to locate existing systematic reviews, how to create alerts and learn best practices for recording and managing results. This is an interactive session. | Online | Wed 2 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Connecting chapters, sections and paragraphs Explores how we can organise research writing so that our readers clearly see how sections within a chapter and different chapters connect. Participants will use the principle of ‘writing in layers’ to critically examine their own reading and writing samples. You will need a device to participate in reading and writing activities. | Online | Thu 3 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm and Wed 30 Oct, 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| 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 5 Oct, 9:00am – 12:00pm |
| Thesis writing: Connecting your findings and literature review sections Examines connections between a literature review and a findings/results section of a thesis or article. You will use your own work or chosen article to visually track where concepts are first introduced and then continue to be used for a sustained argument. Suited to research students who have already drafted their research findings and literature review. Please bring a device. | Online | Tue 8 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| 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 | Wed 9 Oct, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| Session 3: Systematic Literature Review (SLR) – Writing the Introduction and Method Provides an overview of the structure of introduction and method sections for a systematic literature review. Identifies typical functions and distinctive features of these sections. Participants analyse and discuss text examples and relate these to their own writing or reading. | Online | Wed 9 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| 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 | Thu 10 Oct, 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| 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 | Tue 15 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| Confirmation of Candidature: Q&A Forum This forum is an opportunity to ask questions about aspects of the confirmation of candidature. Please note, you must watch the ‘Confirmation of Candidature: Processes’ and ‘Confirmation of Candidature: Presenting Well’ videos available on the PG_Me organisation on Canvas prior to attending. | Online | Wed 16 Oct, 10:00am – 10:30am |
| 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. | Online | Thu 17 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| 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 | Tue 22 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
| 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 | Wed 23 Oct, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| 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. | City campus | Thu 24 Oct, 12:00pm – 2:00pm |
| 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. | Online | Wed 30 Oct, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
