2015–16
ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING
A GUIDE TO RESEARCH TRAINING
WORKSHOPS, SUMMER SCHOOLS AND ONLINE TRAINING AVAILABLE TO POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE HUMANITIES
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Contents
Research skills workshops
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PORT online training
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Institute-specific training and fora
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Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network
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Postgraduate study
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School contacts
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About the School
The School of Advanced Study (SAS), University of London is the UK’s national centre for the promotion and facilitation of research in the humanities. SAS brings together the specialised scholarship and resources of 9 prestigious research institutes in Bloomsbury to provide an unrivalled scholarly environment dedicated to the support, evaluation and pursuit of research which is accessible to all higher education institutions in the UK and the rest of the world. Member Institutes of the School Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Institute of Classical Studies Institute of Commonwealth Studies Institute of English Studies Institute of Historical Research Institute of Latin American Studies Institute of Modern Languages Research Institute of Philosophy The Warburg Institute
SAS also hosts a number of cross-disciplinary centres and research projects. The Human Rights Consortium, for instance, brings together the multidisciplinary expertise found in the institutes and collaborates worldwide to support, promote and disseminate research and policy work on human rights. The Centre for Postcolonial Studies also seeks to highlight the value of policy-relevant research in the humanities, drawing together academics and practitioners to inform policy decisions through evidence-based research in the fields of law, media, governance, counterterrorism, health studies and business. A different kind of multidisciplinary endeavour can be seen in the School’s Human Mind Project: a coordinated, international effort to define the major intellectual challenges in understanding the nature and significance of the human mind.
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www.sas.ac.uk
Introduction 02
Introduction The School of Advanced Study draws on its extensive research and teaching expertise in the humanities to provide a programme of disciplinespecific and transferable research training, both face-to-face and online. Most of the School’s training is available to postgraduate students across the UK as well as our own students, much of it free of charge. Early-career researchers will also benefit: our workshops provide the transferable and employability skills necessary for preparation for careers in academia and elsewhere, and all our researchers, at whatever level, are welcome to attend. We offer well-established training for humanities postgraduate students (most notably in history, law, English, modern languages and classics) as well as in specialist areas (palaeography, book history, Renaissance culture, medieval manuscript studies), together with a programme of workshops in generic research and transferable skills, plus training in essential research software and management information tools.
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Introduction www.sas.ac.uk
The School’s extensive and varied range of training programmes are designed to meet the needs of 21st-century researchers, offering programmes which enable scholars in the humanities to develop their skills and pursue their studies to maximum effect.
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Research skills workshops
This programme of workshops and seminars provides transferable research training for MPhil and PhD students in the humanities and social sciences, complementing the specialised programmes provided by the institutes for their students. It is expected that most School students will be able to take part in all sessions of the programme at an appropriate time in their doctoral study. The workshops are taught largely by the School’s academic staff, drawing on the expertise available in the wider University of London. The programme is freely available – to School students, of course, who do not need to register, and also to all registered research students in 04
the humanities and social sciences based in the UK. Those based in the Bloomsbury colleges (Birkbeck, Institute of Education, SOAS, UCL etc.) may register through the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network (BPSN). Students at non-BPSN institutions should register direct, by contacting Kremena Velinova, Kremena.Velinova@sas.ac.uk. School students should ensure that they let Kremena Velinova know in advance that they expect to attend. This is to make sure that they can be kept informed if there are last-minute changes to the programme or venue.
Torrington Room (Room 104), Senate House This workshop is designed to help students complete their PhD successfully by planning and organising their research and time, using project management techniques to take them from research idea to delivery of the thesis. The session will look at defining the project and its goals, timetabling, milestones, resources, responsibilities, risks and how to review the plan when the project changes. Basic use of the software MS Project will be touched on. The session will allow students the opportunity to start putting together their own project plan; consider the structure and processes that are essential for a successful project; and discuss issues such as estimating inputs, quality management, working with others and identifying the critical path to delivering the PhD within schedule. Presenter: Chris Knapp (University of London)
Data protection and research data Thursday 5 November 2015, 14.00–16.00 Torrington Room (Room 104), Senate House This session explores the importance of data protection for you and your research. Presenter: Dr Kit Good (Vice-Chancellor’s Office)
Working in archives Thursday 19 November 2015, 14.00–16.00 Holden Room (Room 103), Senate House The session is for those who have recently begun, or are about to begin, to use archives in their research. An overriding aim is to help researchers develop effective strategies for exploring their subjects. Archives are not simply passive repositories of information but bear the imprint of historical process and accident. Thinking about the nature of the archive itself can throw light on the cultural and historical context of the topic being investigated. A number of questions can be explored. What is an ‘archive’? How does it differ from ‘records’ or ‘documents’? Is there
Research skills workshops
Thursday 29 October 2015, 14.00–16.00
a wider view of materials from the past which might be comprehended by the term ‘archive’? Why were certain archives created? How have they survived? How do you formulate a strategy for finding the information that you think you need? What role can random exploration play? Participants are encouraged to come to the session prepared to talk and raise questions about their own experiences. Presenter: Dr Elizabeth Danbury (Institute of English Studies)
Giving a seminar or conference paper Thursday 3 December 2015, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House This session will cover the preparation and delivery of a paper for a seminar or specialist conference audience. The session will include hints on how to give effective presentations at seminars, and large and small conferences, the use of visual aids, and discussion of different presentation styles. Presenter: Dr Julian Burger (Institute of Commonwealth Studies)
Organising successful academic events Thursday 14 January 2016, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House Organising an academic event can offer students career-changing opportunities and be rewarding and enjoyable. This session runs through the key areas of organising a successful academic event. We will discuss the different event types, public engagement, impact, timing, venues, audiences, speakers, finance, collaborations, technical issues, hospitality, programming, the night before, the day itself, post-event issues and potential pitfalls. Presenter: TBC
The PhD viva Thursday 21 January 2016, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House The session is intended to help students prepare for the viva examination. It will look at a range of practical matters including choosing the external 05
www.sas.ac.uk
Project organisation and management
Research skills workshops examiners and the roles and strategies of the student, the supervisors and the examiners. It will review the regulations and guidelines for examiners and candidates, and discuss common practice. It will also discuss practical questions such as what to bring to the examination, and what happens after the examination. Presenter: Professor Philip Murphy (Institute of Commonwealth Studies)
Applying for research funding Thursday 28 January 2016, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House This session will explore funding options for research projects. Presentations will cover where to find information about funders, how to pitch your research project, how to write a research proposal and how to prepare a proposal budget. It will also consider the long-term management of a funded project. The workshop will address ways of building contacts with funding councils and prospective funding organisations as well as approaches to developing collaborative research opportunities. Presenter: Professor Linda Newson (Institute of Latin American Studies)
Conducting interviews: oral history Thursday 4 February 2016, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House This session offers guidance and practical advice on how to conduct and transcribe interviews. The starting point will be group interviewing and witness seminars. The session will consider issues around objectivity and subjectivity; how to determine the usefulness of information gathered, and to make the most effective use of the information for the research project; to distinguish between fact and opinion, and the place of secondary sources. The session will look at sensitivity and cultural awareness, and address issues of ethical interviewing. Presenter: Dr Sue Onslow (Institute of Commonwealth Studies)
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Using social media Thursday 11 February 2016, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House Social media (from blogs, Twitter, YouTube and Vimeo to Facebook, Google+, Flickr, Instagram, LinkedIn and Academia.edu) can be a powerful tool supporting a PhD student’s research and career. This workshop will give an overview of social media platforms, why you use them, what you share and which tool you use for what purpose. We will discuss the benefits as well as the challenges of using social media when developing a professional online profile and communicating research as a PhD student. Presenter: Dr Matt Phillpott (SAS-Space Manager / SAS Digital Project Officer)
Teaching skills for the PhD student Thursday 18 February 2016, 14.00–16.00 Gordon Room (Room 34), Senate House This session will explore the issues for the doctoral student engaged in teaching seminars or classes in their own department or external institution. It will examine the skills that are necessary, and identify strategies for the researcher as teacher: how to manage research with teaching; planning a class; managing assessment; identifying and dealing with student needs; organising material and keeping records; team-teaching; moving to the first academic position. Presenter: Dr Richard Freeman (Institute of Education)
Getting research published Thursday 3 March 2015, 14.00–16.00 Room 243, Senate House This session will address the process of publication in a variety of academic/professional outlets including digital publication; preparing articles for submission to academic journals; the process of editing; writing book proposals; and (from the perspective of the publisher) turning a thesis into a non-academic book. Presenter: Professor Jane Winters (Institute of Historical Research)
Further details of all training offered are available from our website at: www.sas.ac.uk/supportresearch/research-training
Research skills workshops
Applying for research funding
The date for this session will be announced on the School of Advanced Study Research Training page on our website. Please consult this for details: www.sas.ac.uk
www.sas.ac.uk
This half-day session will explore funding options for research projects. Presentations will cover where to find information about funders, how to pitch your research project, how to write a research proposal, and how to prepare a proposal budget. It will also consider the longterm management of a funded project. The workshop will address ways of building contacts with funding councils and prospective funding organisations as well as approaches to developing collaborative research opportunities.
PORT: postgraduate online research training
PORT is the new and free-to-use research training platform from the School of Advanced Study.
Resources available for 2015 include:
POSTGRADUATE ONLINE RESEARCH TRAINING
Relevant research skills are an essential tool for all postgraduate researchers. PORT provides free online resources including tutorials, handbooks and multimedia to enable researchers in the humanities to acquire and hone research skills.
PORT complements postgraduate study, providing training packages that can be accessed anywhere, at any time, and be undertaken at your own pace. PORT provides the building blocks for humanities research generally, as well as in particular humanities disciplines and specific topics. Designed to meet the needs of 21stcentury researchers, PORT offers programmes which enable scholars in the humanities to develop their skills and pursue their studies to maximum effect.
Databases for historians InScribe palaeography Data preservation Managing your research Digital tools: introduction to semantic mark-up Digital tools: introduction to text mining
Quantitative methods PORT is the new and free-to-use A PORT for modern languages research training platform from And much more forthcoming. Please visit the School of Advanced Study, port.sas.ac.uk for more information. University of London
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Institute-specific training and fora
Institute-specific training and fora The individual institutes at SAS offer discipline-specific research training, ranging from afternoon sessions and training days to summer schools. Some of the training on offer includes: the London International Palaeography Summer School (Institute of English Studies); National Training Days for PhDs in Law (Institute of Advanced Legal Studies); Before, During and After the PhD (Institute of Modern Languages Research); Resources and Techniques for the Study of Renaissance and Early Modern Culture (The Warburg Institute). Several institutes also run postgraduate discussion fora, which aim to meet the social, research training and intellectual needs of postgraduate students in specific disciplines. The History Lab (Institute of Historical Research), the Graduate Forum and the National Postgraduate Colloquium in German Studies (both Institute of Modern Languages Research) are examples of these.
www.sas.ac.uk
Details of institute-based training and fora can be found on the School of Advanced Study research training page on our website: www.sas.ac.uk/ support-research/researchtraining
Renaissance culture is one of the specialist areas in which training is offered. Sandro Botticelli, A Young Man Being Introduced to the Seven Liberal Arts (c. 1483–6).
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Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network
courses.grad.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury The BPSN shared skills training programme allows research students in participating institutions to improve general research skills and personal transferable skills, through attending training courses and workshops at other member institutions. For information on courses available and how to register, see the Network website: courses.grad.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury 10
The School offers full- and part-time Master’s in the following subjects:
Research degrees are offered in: Art History Classics Commonwealth Studies Cultural History
Art History
Development Studies
Cultural and Intellectual History
Digital Humanities
Decolonisation
History
Garden and Landscape History
Literature
Historical Research
Latin American Studies
History of the Book
Law
Human Rights
Modern languages
Legislative Studies
Politics
Law
For further information, email sas.registry@sas.ac.uk or visit www.sas.ac.uk/graduate-study and www.sas.ac.uk/graduate-study/researchdegrees
R efugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies
www.sas.ac.uk
The School of Advanced Study at the University of London brings together 9 internationally-renowned research institutes to form the UK’s national centre for the support of researchers and the promotion of research in the humanities.
Postgraduate study
Postgraduate study at the School of Advanced Study
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School contacts
Further details of all training offered can be found on our website: www.sas.ac.uk/support-research/research-training Please contact Kremena Velinova with any enquiries: Kremena Velinova, Events and Research Training Administrator Kremena.Velinova@sas.ac.uk School of Advanced Study Registry Ground floor, South Block Senate House, Malet Street London WC1E 7HU Tel: +44 (0)20 7862 8663 sas.registry@sas.ac.uk Kalinda Hughes, Assistant Registrar Kalinda.Hughes@sas.ac.uk Daly Sarcos, Admissions Officer Daly.Sarcos@sas.ac.uk Christian Otta, Postgraduate Student Officer Christian.Otta@sas.ac.uk Alex Weston, Postgraduate Student Officer Alex.Weston@sas.ac.uk Christine Weir, Research Student Officer Christine.Weir@sas.ac.uk
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Cover image Pages 1, 4, 11 Page 2 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10
Laurentius de Voltolina, Liber ethicorum des Henricus de Alemannia, c. 1350, public domain via Wikimedia Commons © Lloyd Sturdy/University of London © Brian Maudsley / Shutterstock.com Old illustration of Palais Bourbon library, Paris. Created by Fichot and Cosson-Smeeton, published on L’Illustration, Journal Universel, Paris, 1868, © Marzolino / Shutterstock.com © mistery / Shutterstock.com Sandro Botticelli, A Young Man Being Introduced to the Seven Liberal Arts (c. 1483–6), public domain via Wikimedia Commons ‘How a British woman dresses in wartime: utility clothing in Britain, 1943’ with Senate House in the background, Ministry of Information Official Collection (Imperial War Musem)
School of Advanced Study Registry Senate House Malet Street London WC1E 7HU United Kingdom Email sas.registry@sas.ac.uk Telephone +44 (0)20 7862 8663 www.sas.ac.uk/support-research/ research-training
Follow SAS on facebook.com /schoolofadvancedstudy twitter.com @SASNews blogs talkinghumanities.blogs.sas.ac.uk