Core Session

The 2010 HDR Big Day Out is a chance for all HDR students to meet and greet each other, and the team from RAGSO. Starting off with a the team from Thinkwell Consultants, is a workshop for all students on the "7 secrets" ..... you'll have to attend to learn more! Lunch with Professor Frank Stagnitti, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) in the Albert Coates Complex, U Building - outside if sunny, inside if wet - will give everyone a chance to chat and eat. The afternoon session is for all new HDR students, with Professor Erica Smith, Dean of Graduate Studies, providing an induction about the HDR world at UB. A concurrent afternoon session for all HDR Supervisors will be held by the Thinkwell Consultants team. HDR Big Day Out Program

Core Session

Research, like Proteus, can take many forms, and can legitimately mean different things to different people. For example, amongst the bewildering array of literature that faces the beginning researcher, there are at least three major paradigms that represent alternative ways of interpreting the world, a confronting array of theoretical frameworks, and a host of methods and methodologies that can be brought to bear upon problems of interest. Much of this work is reported in research journals, which have their own presentation styles and conventions, and which report the work they have done in a concise and linear manner. To add one more level of complexity to this picture, we observe that there are often bitter debates between established research workers about what does, and does not, constitute ‘acceptable’ research. We are not surprised, therefore, that beginning researchers often report uncertainty and confusion when faced with the apparently simple question 'What is this thing called research?'

Core Session

In this session, we begin to look at the first stages of beginning an extended research project. Some would say that this is the critical stage of any investigation, because it sets the basis for the way in which the project is conceptualised, pursued and brought to a useful conclusion. For the supervisor, this stage is often most frustrating, because there will be students who say things like: 'Just tell me what to do, and I will do it!' or 'I can't afford any more time to talk about this waffle, I want to get out and collect data' (Actual quotes!) I believe that there are a number of issues that need to be resolved between supervisor and student at this early stage, these being in addition to the task of developing a sound research direction. Our discussion in this section will look at some of the problems that arise, and strategies that can be used, during this phase.

Core Session

We are still engaged here with a general investigation of the activity called 'research'. Whilst each research worker will usually get a reasonable grasp of what research is in their particular field, there is often a rudimentary if not lacking understanding of research in other fields. Our discussion this session tries to keep the broad brush going across the notion of research, in an attempt to provide a more comprehensive picture, for beginning researchers, of this complex notion. There are some concepts introduced here that might look scary at first, but they are the language of researchers, and you should attempt to become comfortable with them as soon as possible.

Core Session

It has been suggested that, with regard to postgraduate research outcomes, the most important factor in a successful experience is the student- supervisor relationship. In the face of such advice, it is not surprising that the Graduate Centre places a great deal of emphasis upon supervision and supervision practices, and this session is an outcome of this concern. It is also fair to say that the practice of supervision is one where a great deal of art, rather than science, is employed. It is basically a contract between two individuals, and, like all such contracts, needs careful definition and care to prevent irreconcilable problems emerging. On the positive side however, we can say that, like all contracts between individuals, if it works properly it can be a most rewarding experience. As a consequence, the University of Ballarat is continually looking for ways in which to enhance supervisory relationships in order to support postgraduate students as much as possible.

Core Session

As an outcome of the DETYA funded study of Australian employer satisfaction with graduate skills (AC Neilsen Research Services, 2000), there has been a growing insistence by the Commonwealth government that universities make explicit the attributes that postgraduate students from their institutions exhibit. In addition, all universities are being asked to provide documentation of the procedures available to develop these attributes and to attest that each postgraduate has reached the required level of capability in the various categories. This seminar is designed to provide a description and some details regarding the University's approach to these Core Postgraduate Attributes, and how students and supervisors might go about constructing an appropriate portfolio to demonstrate that the GGAs have been achieved.

Core Session

There are many published works on how to go about putting a Literature Review together, and it is expected that each postgraduate student would seek out such works and find something that appeals to their particular taste. However, even with these works available, many students still are concerned about getting a broad view on what a Literature Review is supposed to do. In this brief discussion, we will make observations about the Literature review that may help to put it in the context of the research, using a 'hypothetical example' to make some points.

Core Session

There is no denying that time management for a research project is an important consideration for postgraduate students. However, for most postgraduate research candidates, it is a difficult and complex issue because of competing demands for their attention and time. Good time management can make the difference between a successfully completed project, full of rich memories and experiences, and a painfully drawn-out affair that is best forgotten. In the context of postgraduate study, where a candidate can spend up to ten years completing a doctoral thesis, it takes little imagination to envisage the amount of time that can be wasted if poor time management practices are not used. This is justification enough for us to spend some time considering ways and means of using time wisely!

Optional Session

In this session, the focus for our discussion will be the use of statistics in research into the behavioural sciences. This is a useful area for consideration since some workers in the behavioural sciences are not as familiar with statistical procedures as are workers in the natural sciences, and as a result they lose a chance to use a valuable research tool. This unfamiliarity with quantitative methods is often manifested in discussions to do with issues such as 'sampling' and 'validity', and in this workshop we will talk more about the ideas of statistics and statistical analysis than the actual procedures, and suggest way in which such analysis can illuminate our understanding of a particular research question.

Core Session

PORTIA (Postgraduate Research Training Information Assistant) is available to current and commencing higher degree by research (HRD) students, their supervisors and research degree managers/administrators from 2007. PORTIA is a web-based system and provides:

• up-to-date management information on higher degree by research (HDR) students
• a transparent system that allows candidates and supervisors to plan the research, record meetings and other important events related to candidature

Core Session

Writing a thesis is a huge task. It is probably the largest writing task that most researchers will undertake, and without a good structural plan, this can be a torrid undertaking. What we are suggesting here is one way to provide the writing process with a 'road map' to prevent a lot of confusion and false starts. There may, of course, be other systems that you prefer, but we suggest that some idea of the structure of the thesis is gained before getting too far into the writing.

Optional Session

The University of Ballarat library has a range services, tools and resources that you will need to use at different points in your research. Understanding what they do and what they are best used for will help you to work more effectively. Many researchers have studied recently while others have been away from the academic environment for a length of time. Library staff will inform, refresh or add to your knowledge of electronic resources and information. We will help you begin your research by looking at the information-seeking strategies and critical-thinking abilities needed for effective research, locate and evaluate information and manage the information collected.

Core Session

For many research projects, there is an added level of complexity in that the ethical nature of the research must be carefully considered. This is particularly so when humans or animals are involved in the collection of data and it is contingent upon the researcher to ensure that the research subject is no way harmed or other wise disadvantaged as a result of the researcher's actions. In this session, some experienced UB staff will talk about the ethical responsibilities of research students and give a brief overview of the steps that must be taken to get ethical clearance from the University for work on a particular project.