Research knowledge and skills
This development area incorporates the foundations required for any doctoral candidate to effectively undertake research. This includes the ability to efficiently source and store your data, rise to the challenges posed by new software and digital tools, navigate contextual frameworks, and develop and critically evaluate knowledge and ideas.
This development area is made up of four categories:
- Finding and managing information
- Building digital capabilities
- Critical and creative thinking
- Research methods and methodologies
Finding and managing information
Data discovery and management underpins the research you do. Understanding or updating your knowledge on the most efficient ways to find information, store and manage data and get support can save you a significant amount of time and stress as your research data grows.
Examples and resources
Courses, workshops and events: Literature review: Finding and managing information; Managing research data.
Actions and experiences: Speak to a Research Services Advisor; Create a data management plan; Explore Research hub.
Links to other resources:
- Efficient discovery and research curation
- Working with data
- Centre for eResearch
- Finding and managing information (Canvas course)
- The Informed Researcher (PDF)
Building digital capabilities
Whether you’re exploring referencing tools, data management options, analysing results or growing the reach of your research over social media, there are a plethora of ways that broadening your digital skills can help you work more effectively.
Examples and resources
Courses, workshops and events: Data carpentry; LaTeX; R; Python; HTML; Thesis formatting for Word, SPSS Core Skills, NVivo Core Skills.
Actions and experiences: Join a Hacky Hour; Use a new digital tool; Attend ResBaz.
Links to other resources:
Critical and creative thinking
Critical and creative thinking are essential to generating your original contribution to knowledge, but these skills have far wider applications. In any situation that requires you to solve complex problems, brainstorm, evaluate ideas or analyse information, your ability to imagine new ideas and critically assess existing ones are vital.
Examples and resources
Courses, workshops and events: Critical thinking; Mind mapping; Creativity
Actions and experiences: Participate in the Velocity $100K Challenge; Practice peer review; Explore the Maker Space at Unleash Space; Analyse your data and form a conclusion.
Links to other resources:
Research methods and methodologies
Successful researchers explore and identify appropriate research approaches early on in order to lay the groundwork for successful research.
Examples and resources
Courses, workshops and events: Faculty/LSRI-based seminars and workshops
Actions and experiences: Attend a conference; Meet with an LLS Research Advisor
Finding courses, workshops and events
There are a number of places outside of Wahapū that you can browse to find development activities, for example: