It’s almost the mid-semester break (6-17 April), and you’d think things would be getting a little quieter. However, those of us doing research (and therefore not tethered to the semester timetable) can take the opportunity to ramp up while the campus is all ours!
There are a whopping 27 workshops tailored to PG research students in April – and that’s not even counting general-interest workshops (like EndNote Essentials, APA referencing, AI toolkit sessions, and more). The listings for the month are below. There’s a little something for everybody.
If you’re planning a conference presentation in the near future (perhaps even at the AUT PG Research Symposium) you may like to come along to our new workshop: Crafting an oral presentation for a conference or symposium on 21 April. We’ll go over strategies to ensure that you can present professionally and confidently on the academic stage.
Want to build a little social time into your month? The PhD Book Club will meet on Friday 24 April at noon in WF309. Bring something you’ve read / are reading, and settle in for a cozy hour of talking books.
The following week on Thursday 30 May, the PG Potluck Group will gather in MB104 from 5pm to share kai and bond (or vent!) over the shared PG experience. All are welcome – bring some food to share. You can find more info about these and other groups here.
Have a great month everyone!
Postgraduate Research Workshops in April 2026
| What? | Where? | When? |
|---|---|---|
| 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 1 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| 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 1 Apr, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM |
| 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 | Wed 8 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| 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. | Online | Thu 9 Apr, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Publishing Part 1: Open Access – the benefits and options 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 | Mon 13 Apr, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| 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 | Tue 14 Apr, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
| Getting started with research 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 | Tue 14 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| 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. | City campus | Wed 15 Apr, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Using literature 1: To support your view 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 apply knowledge from the workshop to explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Bring your device, an article you have read recently, and a sample of your own writing. | Online | Wed 15 Apr, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Introduction to research data management (Part 1) This introductory workshop covers the basics of what is research data, its lifecycle and what it takes to have good data management. Writing a Research Data management plan (DMP) enables you to be able to describe your data and detail the appropriate storage, access, publication and sharing of it, along with any legal, ethical and funder requirements. This workshop introduces you to the world of research data, and what you should consider when planning your research project. | Online | Wed 15 Apr, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| Developing a systematic search strategy to find literature 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. Please have your research question handy so you can use it to develop and practice your search during the workshop. | Online | Wed 15 Apr, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM and Wed 29 Apr, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM |
| 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. | City campus | Thu 16 Apr, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
| Thesis writing: Connecting sections and chapters Explores how we can organise research writing so that our readers clearly see how paragraphs and 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. This principle can be applied to writing theses, dissertations, book chapters, and journal articles. We also explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. | Online | Thu 16 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Publishing Part 2: Finding and evaluating journals to publish in This Library workshop is designed to guide you through the process of finding relevant and credible publications for your research. Understand elements of a publishing strategy; use databases and online tools to find relevant journals to publish in; and evaluate journals for suitability and quality. | Online | Mon 20 Apr, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| Crafting an oral presentation for a conference or symposium This workshop will explore how to give an effective oral presentation, including how to communicate complex ideas with clarity, structure your talk for maximum impact, design slides that enhance (rather than overwhelm) your message, and manage nerves on the day. Learn how to engage your audience, handle questions confidently, and present your research in a compelling and professional way. | Online | Tue 21 Apr, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM |
| 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. | City campus | Tue 21 Apr, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM and Tue 28 Apr, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM |
| Research Data Management Part 2: Getting Started with the DMP tool In this practical face-to-face library workshop, participants will learn about AUT’s data management tool, working through the requirements step-by-step. The session is a great opportunity to start your first data management plan, continue a current one, or just to have a play and learn about the tool, and the process for collecting, organising, storing and preserving your research data. | Akoranga campus | Tue 21 Apr, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
| Systematic Review 1: An introduction What is a systematic literature review and how is it different from a literature review? Why do people use the same terminology but seem to have different ideas on what a SLR actually is? This workshop outlines key differences between types and involves activities to help you decide which one is right for you. This workshop is one of a series of three SLR workshops. Attend any one or all three. | Online | Tue 21 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Responsible use of AI in research This workshop will introduce a selection of popular AI tools for research, exploring their benefits and the ethical considerations associated with their use. | South campus | Wed 22 Apr, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM |
| 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 | Wed 22 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Systematic Review 2: The search process Part 2 of a three-part series. Learn advanced literature searching and search strategies; 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. | Online | Wed 22 Apr, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Thesis writing: Connecting results and literature review sections Provides 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. You will analyse and discuss text examples and relate these to your own writing. We also explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. | Online | Thu 23 Apr, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| 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 23 Apr, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM |
| Systematic Review 3 – Writing the introduction and method Builds on content covered in session one and two by providing an overview of the structure of introduction and method sections for a systematic literature review. Identifies common parts and distinctive features of these sections. Participants analyse and discuss text examples and relate these to their own writing or reading. | Online | Thu 23 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| Publishing Part 3: Using AUT’s Open Access Publishing Agreements 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 context of Open Access Publishing agreements, what they are for, which publishers and journals are included, how to use the agreements, and what to watch out for! | Online | Tue 28 Apr, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM |
| Using literature 2: For 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. We also apply knowledge from the workshop to explore how Copilot can assist with the research writing process. Bring your device, an article you have read recently, and a sample of your own writing (about past literature or discussing your research findings). | Online | Wed 29 Apr, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
