We have a very full month planned for our postgrad whānau!
On May 7th there will be an Action Research Masterclass led by AUT Professors Lesley Ferkins, Eileen Piggot-Irvine, and Welby Ings. If you’ve ever been curious about how research can operate within practice (artistic, clinical, professional, and so on), this is your chance to learn from our world-leading experts. Book your free ticket to attend online or in person at the Akoranga campus.
On May 15th we will welcome a new cohort of doctoral students at a Doctoral Induction. If you are new to doctoral studies, this induction will guide you through AUT’s policies, procedures, support systems, and academic opportunities. You’ll also learn some tips to succeed in the early stages of your programme. You should have received an invitation if this is right for you; but if not, or if you have any questions, please email red@aut.ac.nz.
Later in the month, on May 29th, there will be a Postgraduate Mix & Mingle featuring free nibbles, non-alcoholic drinks, socialising, and 3-minute talks from some of our PG whānau on the topic: “imagining how my research will change or benefit the world”. Register here to attend.
And of course, there are workshops galore! Read on for this month’s selection.

Postgraduate Research Workshops in May 2025
What? | Where? | When? |
---|---|---|
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 | Thu 1 May, 1:00pm – 2:00pm |
Developing a systematic search strategy to find literature – for postgrads and staff This Library workshop will take you through a systematic literature searching process: developing a search strategy; using different search techniques; and best practices for recording and managing results. | Online | Thu 1 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm and Mon 19 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
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 | Fri 2 May, 1:00pm – 1:45pm |
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 5 May, 5:30pm – 6:30pm |
Writing an abstract for a conference or symposium This workshop will cover the principles of writing an abstract for a presentation, including: defining the scope of the presentation, communicating its purpose, writing for specialist and/or educated lay audiences, fulfilling conference criteria, and responding to reviewers’ comments. Traditional and AI-assisted writing techniques are covered. | Online | Tue 6 May, 11:00am – 12:00pm |
Responsible use of AI in research 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. | South campus | Tue 6 May, 11:30am – 1:00pm and Tue 20 May, 11:30am – 1:00pm |
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, and explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Systematic reviews are not covered. | Online | Tue 6 May, 5:00pm – 7:30pm and Wed 28 May, 5:00pm – 7:30pm |
Interviewing skills for qualitative researchers This workshop aims to help researchers decide when interviews are suitable as a data gathering tool. It will look at the aim of interviews, what research questions they can answer and what they can’t. | Online | Tue 6 May, 5:00pm – 7:00pm |
BEL thesis writing: Introductions Provides an overview of the purpose of an Introduction section of a thesis. Identifies typical functions and distinctive features of this section in relation to the whole research project. Good timing for students who are planning, starting, or editing their Introduction sections of their thesis or dissertation. | Online | Tue 6 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
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 7 May, 10:00am – 12:00pm |
Thesis writing: Understanding thesis structure Discusses how the different parts of a thesis connect to each other. We will analyse examples and practice using language to clearly show how existing knowledge connects to new research, to what others may do with it in the future, and where that information gets organised across a thesis. We also apply knowledge from the workshop to explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Bring your device, plus an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing. | Online | Wed 7 May, 5:00pm – 7:30pm |
Thesis writing: Discussions Discusses writing strategies and choices 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. We also explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Bring your device, plus an article you have read recently and a sample of your own writing. | City campus | Thu 8 May, 10:00am – 12:30pm |
Open Access without author payments: Read and publish options at AUT Te Mātāpuna AUT Library & Learning Services has agreements with some publishers that enable AUT authors to publish open access in some journals without paying the Article Processing Charge. Find out the context of Read & Publish agreements; what they are; which publishers and journals are included; and what to watch out for when publishing under the agreements. | Online | Mon 12 May, 5:30pm – 6:30pm |
Drop-in research support clinic A Research Services librarian will be available for one hour to assist you with any questions you have. This service is particularly aimed at postgraduates who have attended any of the BEL Faculty series of workshops but is also open to others needing research help. | City campus | Tue 13 May, 12:00pm – 1:00pm |
Copilot writing lab: Using GenAI for discussion sections Explores how we can use Copilot for aspects of the research writing process. We begin by summarising important knowledge about Discussion sections and then introduce a ‘choice map’ to outline the types of tasks we could ask Copilot to perform. Together we will craft and refine prompts and continuously critique responses. Bring your own reading and writing as we dynamically use Copilot for drafting and reflecting on research writing. | Online | Tue 13 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
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? This workshop outlines key differences between types of literature reviews and involves activities to help you decide which one is right for you. | Online | Tue 13 May, 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 14 May, 5:00pm – 7:30pm |
Session 2: Systematic Literature Review (SLR) – A deep dive into search techniques 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 14 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
Research impact – the importance of visibility and profiles This workshop covers the importance of managing research profiles and IDs. It introduces the Research Health Check form and how to use it to enhance and update profiles, increasing research visibility and impact. | Online | Wed 14 May, 5:30pm – 6:30pm |
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 17 May, 9:00am – 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 | Tue 20 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
Getting started with writing Focuses on strategies to help researchers digest reading in preparation for writing about what you’ve read. Try freewriting and mapping concepts as strategies to get words on the page and then create more structured writing. We will also explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Bring your device and an article you have read recently. | Online | Wed 21 May, 5:30pm – 7:30pm |
What’s so good about open access? What’s so good about open access? 72% more citations is just one answer! To find out more, join the Research Services librarians as they demystify the jargon and confusing rules around open access and explain how you too can reap the benefits of publishing openly. | Online | Wed 21 May, 5:30pm – 6:30pm |
Thesis writing: Connecting results and literature review sections Examines connections between findings/results and literature review sections of a thesis or journal article. Participants will use their own work or chosen article to track how the review of literature prepares the reader for the research findings. This ‘reader’s perspective’ will also include examining language to organize or separate findings/results. We also apply knowledge from the workshop to explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. | Online | Thu 22 May, 10:00am – 12:30pm |
Copilot writing lab: Using GenAI for research significance We begin by summarising important knowledge about arguing for the significance of your workshop and then introduce a ‘choice map’ to outline the types of tasks we could ask Copilot to perform. Together we will craft and refine prompts and continuously critique responses. Bring your own reading and writing as we dynamically use Copilot for research writing. | Online | Thu 22 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
Thesis formatting: Introduction 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 24 May, 9:00am – 12:00pm |
Designing research posters that pop Posters can be a great way to provide a powerful, visual backdrop when discussing, informing and promoting your research at conferences and events. This workshop will help you tailor your poster content to emphasise your key points, and provide you with practical tips for designing an effective and dynamic poster that grabs the attention of your audience. | Online | Wed 28 May, 5:30pm – 7:00pm |
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. We also apply knowledge from the workshop to explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Bring your device! | Online | Thu 29 May, 10:00am – 12:30pm |
NVivo quick start This course is targeted at researchers wanting an efficient means of handling and analysing their qualitative data. No prior knowledge of the software is assumed; however a basic understanding of qualitative analysis procedures would be helpful. | Online | Thu 29 May, 10:00am – 3:00pm |