Courses

A selection of courses 'off the shelf', available online and in-person for Higher Education Institutions & their partners.

Please contact me for availability & quotes

Basic Presenting

Learn how to create and deliver an effective presentation.

Most postgraduate researchers benefit from giving presentations about their research by gaining feedback, sharing their ideas and/or findings, and raising their profile in the research community. Therefore, learning how to present your research effectively is an important skill to develop during the course of your doctorate.

Target audience

First year PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences.

Objectives

Gain a better idea of how to plan and choose appropriate content for a presentation
Learn how to create a cogent and coherent presentation that flows well
Discover how to employ and enhance individual strengths and style in developing oratory techniques
Explore the use of visual aids and non-conventional props to enhance the audience experience
Receive tips on how to confidently deal with questions and overcome nerves

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

1.5 hrs

Advanced Presenting

Presenting is a crucial skill for researchers, yet it is often something that even experienced scholars struggle with. This interactive workshop is designed for people who already have some experience of presenting and the basic principles involved, but would like to develop their skills in this area to a higher level.

This workshop provides the opportunity for practical experience of presenting within a supportive environment. During the workshop, you will be given time to design and deliver a short (5-10 minutes) presentation to a small audience comprised of your fellow researchers.

Target audience

PhD Students & ECRs in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Gain a Present to a peer group
Exchange feedback with peers
Gain an understanding of personal presentation style and how to improve it further

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

2hrs

Writing for Publication

In this workshop, we examine the technical and stylistic aspects of writing for academic and professional publication. You will learn about the importance of following journal guidelines and house style, the value of using a clear structure to frame your paper, the power of ‘fresh’ metaphors, and the importance of writing with clear intent and purpose.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Gain an appreciation of the importance of adapting writing style to respond to Journal Guidelines, publication aims and target audience
Understand the importance of identifying grammatical errors and eliminating them from a paper before peer review
Understand the importance of active tense, idioms, metaphors, and concision
Understand how to achieve formality and reflect on its uses/disadvantages
Appreciate and understand stylistic differences between disciplines, research paradigms and professional settings

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

2hrs

Impact & Peer-Review

Getting published is a central part of being a researcher. Peer-reviewed publications allow researchers to communicate their research to the broader research community, and thus, make a contribution to the body of work within their field. This also touches on the slippery idea of ‘impact’. There are various official and unofficial meanings to ‘impact’, and all come with their uses and their problems. Understanding the ‘impact’ we want is crucial to both the design/ reception of the paper, particularly in terms of review, and to forming our broader research strategy.

This workshop is divided into two interrelated components. The first concerns the question of ‘high impact’, whilst the second concerns the process of peer-review and manuscript preparation.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Disclaimer

The course does not offer bespoke or 1-1 support for manuscript preparation.

Objectives

Develop the basis for a publication plan, with a view to exploiting publications to their maximum potential
Explore the concept of ‘impact’ and its relation to public engagement
Understand the basis of the REF and its relation to ‘impact’
Develop a reflective comprehension of journal publications and the choices to be made therein
Gain a better understanding of the technical aspects of the publication process
Gain an understanding of the peer review system
Become aware of and discuss alternatives to anonymous peer review

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

2 hrs

Publishing & Communicating as a Public Intellectual

What does it mean to be a public intellectual today? To convey ideas to diverse audiences requires skills in written and other forms of communication that do not come naturally or necessarily to the academic. It is for their high proficiency in technical writing that the academic can struggle to ‘bridge’ their ideas to non-specialists, and the public as a whole. Not only does this undermine the potential impact of our work as academics, depriving society of new ideas and different ways of thinking, it also compounds the troubling idea of the ‘ivory tower’.

That academic work is remote, and out of touch with the concerns and issues facing the everyday person. This is of course not true, and being a public intellectual is, partly, about making that clear.

We will be looking at how reaching ‘outside’ audiences is more than a question of terminology or style; we need to understand who are audience is, how we can construct one, what values are fundamental to them, what premises and interests they have in knowledge and information. This is crucial for research exchange and impact, but also has practical implications for managing your career within academia and beyond.

N. B. The course is co-delivered with Joram Appel, a creative producer and public intellectual, best known for his work on TimeGhost, a production company specializing in public histories.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Appreciate and comprehend key differences in expectation between academic and public audiences
Understand and learn techniques for effectively communicating the same message/research to different audiences
Stimulate discussion and debate concerning the role of the academic today, and the relation this bears to the notion of a ‘public intellectual’
Reflect on and challenge presuppositions concerning the role of academia and higher education
Learn and consider both orthodox and unorthodox uses of traditional and social media for the purposes of communication and dissemination of knowledge and ideas

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

1.5 hrs

How to Turn Your Thesis into a Book

When we talk about turning a thesis into a ‘book’, we are really talking about a ‘monograph’. In keeping with the etymological sense of the word, a monograph is generally considered a written work that focuses on one specialised subject with a view to contributing original insight and knowledge.

Given a doctoral thesis – particularly in the arts, humanities and social sciences – is a dedicated study on one specialised topic or area of research, it stands to reason that it is a kind of proto-monograph. This course is concerned with turning a proto-monograph into a fully-fledged and published monograph, i.e. a book. The aim, therefore, is to familiarise students with the process of, and the various issues involved with, turning their PhD thesis into a published monograph.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Learn the differences in content and form between a thesis and a monograph
Understand the copyright and editorial issues of publishing material from thesis
Learn and appreciate the process of selecting a publisher and writing a book proposal
Develop a plan that considers the publication process, from submission of the proposal up to actual publication

Format

Information-giving workshop, with limited activities.

1.5 hrs

Working with Others

The student-supervisor relationship is vital for success in all research degree programmes. However, the exact role of the supervisor is often unclear and sometimes it may feel as though you are not getting the support you need. This can be frustrating for students and supervisors alike, and can lead to a negative doctoral experience. In this course, we look at practical methods for building a strong and effective working relationship with your supervisor. This will provide a base of experience from which to further build and develop capabilities that will enhance your relationships, your negotiations skills and your interpersonal sensibilities.

Target audience

First-year PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
N. B. The course is designed for first year students, however all students are welcome.

Objectives

Consider various aspects of the student-supervisor relationship and identify potential areas of conflict or misunderstanding
Explore ways of dealing with conflict and promoting understanding
Discuss how to use their own initiative to ensure that they are getting the type of supervision they require at any given time
Receive practical advice on how to get the most out of supervisory meeting and manage a supervisory team.

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

1.5 hrs

Critical Reading and Literature Reviews

To truly engage with literature at doctoral level it is crucial to develop a ‘critical’ approach that enables a strict and thus manageable selection of literature, and the development of interpretative themes by which to categorise and narrate the literature. Both aspects of critical reading and thinking often form the foundation of the thesis, giving it both context and justification. Indeed, how a student approaches the literature is itself an integral part of establishing and evolving a unique contribution to knowledge.

This course seeks to help students develop their critical reading skills, and to deploy tactics and strategies that can accelerate the process of literature-based research without sacrificing detail and depth necessary for a doctoral thesis.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Gain a better understanding of the breadth and depth of literature-based research expected of them
Explore the various options available for managing large amounts of literature and/or references
Use creative learning techniques to explore the various facets of their topic in depth, with the opportunity to share their thoughts with others
Deepen their understanding of critical reading and thinking
Explore the various options available for managing large amounts of literature and/or references
Learn how to successfully navigate between individual style and convention of form

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

2 hrs

Time & Project Management

How is it that we all have the same amount of time in the day, yet some postgraduate research students seem to achieve so much more than others? How can we deal with those people and tasks that seem to drain away our time and energy? How can we make sure that we maintain an effective balance in our work and home life, yet still progress towards our career aims? Managing your research project and time effectively are key to your development, and will lead you to be a more effective researcher.

This course provides the tools and techniques required to improve your time and project planning, whilst not diminishing the importance of situation and context.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Understand the importance of developing and reflecting on the ‘big picture’
Create milestones and deliverables in accordance with your situation
Learn and develop the competencies to identify and manage both personal & project risks
Develop the basis for contingency planning, coping strategies and knowing when to quit
Develop techniques to set priorities, learning to distinguish between the ‘urgent’ and the ‘important’, with an emphasis on wellbeing as the priority
Develop review and re-planning techniques

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

2hrs

The Viva

The last hurdle, your viva examination. But what will it be like? What will the examiners ask? How can you prepare for it? What if you go blank? What if the nerves get the better of you? What are the examiners looking for anyway?

This workshop provides participants with an insight into the process, and helps them understand what to expect within a doctoral degree viva, including a discussion on the type and nature of questions most-likely to be posed by examiners.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Students in their final year, or close to their viva

Objectives

Receive answers to questions or concerns about the viva
Gain insight into the types of questions likely to be encountered during the viva
Understand the process and requirements of a viva
Gain an understanding of possible viva outcomes and the procedures that follow
Increase confidence in ability to prepare for and perform well during the viva
Learn and develop preparation techniques and coping strategies
Reflect on and prepare for post-viva life

Format

Participative workshop, comprising information-giving and activities.

2 hrs

Becoming Interdisciplinary: Research Paradigms and Terminology

Across all AHSS disciplines (and within) there are varying views of what research is. Following the work of Thomas Kuhn, these views form what are commonly referred to as ‘research paradigms’, entailing a variety of epistemological (study of knowledge) and ontological (study of being) assumptions that ultimately underpin and guide how we carry out research (method).

Though not a definitive means by which to conceptualize meta-research, this course offers the ‘research paradigm’ as a heuristic and expedient entry point into key terms and concepts often encountered by research students and the tactic assumptions underpinning them. This can and often does result in an ability to understand the significance of one’s own research, the research of others and the broader intellectual context in which both are situated.

The course is especially useful for those who feel less comfortable with the ‘common terminology’ (such as ‘ontology’, ‘epistemology’ etc.) and are perhaps apprehensive of asking colleagues and/or supervisors.

Target audience

PhD Students in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Objectives

Be provided with an accessible and stimulating introduction to the notion of a research paradigm and the various established paradigms in use (e.g. ‘positivism’, ‘constructivism’, ‘pragmatism’)
Reflect on research assumptions and presuppositions
Familiarity with and/or refresh on essential terminology, e.g. ‘ontology’, ‘epistemology’) and its relation to research methods.
Form the basis for translating ideas and research into terms comprehensible to researchers in other disciplines
Be given the foundation to identify and successfully navigate between different paradigms in use, be they tacit or overt

Format

Lecture-based course with some group activities and participation.

3 hrs with breaks/ or deliverable as two distinct 2 hr sessions