News

Dr Robin Humphrey, Newcastle University, has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Authority

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/contacts/detail/ntfs/2011/Humphrey_Robin_profile_NTFS_2011 for his work in promoting interdisciplinary research training in the social sciences at doctoral level. Robin was the Co-Investigator, along with Professor Bob Simpson, Durham University, of the ESRC-RDI project Writing across Boundaries, and this project played a significant part in his application. In addition to the popular annual workshops, which will continue as advanced training sessions in the new North East Doctoral Training Centre, the project has a well used website dedicated to helping doctoral candidates in their writing up of qualitative data:

Northern Advanced Research Training Initiatives 7th Annual Doctoral Colloquium

Doctoral candidates from the north of England participated in the 7th Annual Doctoral Colloquium hosted by Lancaster University Management School on 12-13 July 2011.

The Colloquium began with a keynote speech by Professor Julia Balogun (Lancaster University) entitled Managing your Career: Historical Context and Future Challenges where she reflected on her own career before offering advice on such topics as the importance of writing and building networks. The delegates then presented their own work in one of the themed presentation streams that ran concurrently, focussing in particular on methodological issues encountered during their doctoral studies. Peers and an academic coordinator offered constructive advice. In the evening the delegates enjoyed an informal dinner and a valuable chance to network with other doctoral students from the northern region.

The second day began with an employability session where advice was provided on how doctoral students can increase their chances of securing employment in academia following their PhD. The delegates then attended methodology clinics where experienced academics addressed specific questions on research methodologies. The colloquium finished with a plenary by Dr Paul Ellwood (University of Leeds) on the various impacts various kinds of research can have.

The colloquium was well received by delegates and plans are underway to hold the 8th colloquium during July 2012.

Resource Discovery Workshop, March 22, 2011

On Tuesday March 22 2011 we are holding a workshop on Resource Discovery which brings together research aimed at understanding how researchers go about looking for resources, where they turn to for guidance etc. and research which focuses on how advances in technology can promote discovery and enhance access.

There is plenty of time for discussion and we very much hope that you will come and contribute.

Details of the programme are here: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/tools-and-resources/research-resources/data-services/NDS/events.aspx

The event is being held as part of the National Data Strategy, led by Peter Elias. To book a place please email Lynne Conaghan at the University of Warwick: L.L.Conaghan@warwick.ac.uk.

Annual RDI Workshop 2010, 24th & 25th November, Cardiff

We will be holding our second RDI workshop later this week. The primary aim of this year's workshop is to give participants time to share their experiences in running RDI projects and explore important practical issues. There will be time to draw on the experience of RDI researchers whose projects are well advanced, which should be of particular benefit to those whose Round 4 projects are just getting under way.
We are also delighted that two experienced RDI researchers Jeff Bezemer and Steve Higgins have agreed to run sessions on their very different projects which will include an opportunity to try out an aspect of their training approach. Also, Dave Martin and Arshad Khan, from the ReStore project, will be offering guidance on the preservation and updating of on-line resources developed through RDI projects. We look forward to what promises to be a very useful event and many thanks to those of you who are able to participate.

A consultation exercise on research methods training

ESRC National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is undertaking a
consultation exercise on research methods training for social science
researchers working in academia. The consultation will help inform the
strategic thinking of ESRC regarding the future provision of training. To
take part in the consultation, please follow the link below and fill in the
online survey. The closing date is 5pm on 12 November 2010.

National Postgraduate Training Days 2010-11 A series of specialist training days for new postgraduates at the British Library.

Come to one of our tailored days to learn more about the British Library's collections, meet our curators, and take part in a variety of specialist sessions and talks related to your research.

Why attend a Postgraduate Training Day?

The British Library offers specialist days, run in partnership with esteemed professional bodies, in a range of subjects including English, History, Art and Design, and Social Sciences. The days are organised to help new postgraduate researchers get the most out of our vast and unique resources. Sessions range from a general introduction to the Library's collections and services, to presentations and debates on particular topics tailored to your subject. Furthermore, it is an excellent opportunity to meet research peers, academics and the Library's own expert curators. Postgraduate Training Days can make a real difference to your research:
visit www.bl.uk/HEtrainingdays to book your place.


CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING:
11 October Social Science: Research about Societies
19 October Social Science: Government, Politics and Legal Studies
25 October Art & Design
6 December History (Medieval-18th Century)
13 December History (19th-21st Century)
1 February English (19th-21st Century)
8 February English (Medieval-18th Century

BOOKING

Price is free.
To ensure the scheme is accessible to research postgraduates across the UK,
there are also a limited number of travel bursaries available to students living outside London.

For more information about any of these training days or to book your place, please visit www.bl.uk/HEtraining days

Please note Places are limited to new postgraduate researchers.

Launch of the UK Data Archive website. Louise Corti, Essex University described the new website as having a clearer and more consistent feel, presenting a more open and contemporary image of the UK data archives role in the social sciences and research.

Since the formation of the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) in 2003, some of our long-standing users have been confused about our identity and especially how the Archive differs from ESDS. Our new image and web presence portrays an unique identity for the Archive which differentiates it from the ESDS. The Archive runs other key research data and support services, including the ESRC Census portal, the Survey Question Bank, the Secure Data Service, the History Data Service and the RELU Data Support Service. We also engage in related research and development activities supported by the ESRC, JISC, EU and other funders.

Changes to the website include:

1. a new look and feel to the site - including the logo and colour scheme

2. site navigation has been simplified and improved

3. data can no longer be searched or accessed on the UK Data Archive site. Instead the site is a portal to our varied data resources. Users are very clearly directed to the ESDS where data can be found and accessed, much as it is now

4. The Managing & Sharing pages are now called Create & Manage, and while they may look different, the content is the same

5. There is a new series of case studies submitted by users featuring how they used our data.

We are sure this will enhance user experience, but understand there may be initial inconvenience as everyone becomes familiar with the new style and layout. Apologies for any inconvenience that does arise.
Please direct any enquiries to the Archive Communications team at comms@data-archive.ac.uk

Please view website at http://www.data-archive.ac.uk

For more information on Louise Corti's RDI project please refer to http://www.rdi.ac.uk/projects/round4/56.php

An exciting new online Research Ethics Guidebook is now live, developed from a three year Initiative by Dr Janet Boddy and colleagues at the Institute of Education, University of London.

The Research Ethics Guidebook is a new website for social science researchers, developed by a team from the Institute of Education, with the support of the Researcher Development Initiative. It is a free resource, addressing ethics throughout the research process, and in particular aiming to help you find your way through the variety of regulatory processes and procedures that can apply to social science research; from grant applications to ethics review and research governance processes, and beyond. The Guidebook is intended for early career researchers, including doctoral students, but it also offers a useful resource for those who train, supervise and support other researchers. Find it on http://www.ethicsguidebook.ac.uk

Registrations for the 4th ESRC Research Methods Festival (5-8 July 2010 at St Catherine's College,Oxford, UK) are now open.

The ESRC National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is pleased to announce that the registrations for the 4th ESRC Research Methods Festival (5-8 July 2010 at St Catherine's College, Oxford, UK) are now open.

This is the biggest social science research methods event of the year in the UK, with over 60 sessions, more than 200 presenters and 800 delegates. As at previous festivals, an impressive line up of presenters will speak about issues at the cutting edge of developments in social science research methods. The Researcher Development Initiative will be contributing several research training sessions and also mounting an exhibition to raise awareness of RDI and some of the outputs and resources of its projects which both researchers and research trainers may find useful.

This biennial festival aims to engage social scientists across a wide range of disciplines and sectors and at different points in their research careers, and aims to stimulate interest, raise issues, highlight opportunities and showcase new developments.

Early bird fees of £50 per day apply from 1 March until 16 April. From 17 April onwards registrations cost £60 per day. Reduced fees for full-time students. For further information and to book your place, please see http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/TandE/other/RMF2010/

We look forward to seeing you in Oxford!

An exciting new online Ethics Resource is now live, developed from a three year initiative by Professor Christine Milligan and colleagues at Lancaster University

Built around eight core themes, the website provides a wide range of resources designed to help new social science researchers increase their knowledge and understanding of the processes and practices involved in undertaking ethically sound research. The discussion, case studies and examples within this website will also provide a useful set of resources for those involved in the teaching and training of ethics in social science research. http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/researchethics/index.html