Topic outline
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Are there recordings of workshops?
Workshops are not recorded because much of the time is spent in small group discussions or pair work or in quiet writing activities. The workshops are intended to provide a private teaching space in which you can feel comfortable to ask questions and engage with others without feeling self-conscious or observed. Many of the core messages we work on in workshops are contained in the online resources listed on this site.
I’m an external student/I can’t make it to the campus, what support can I access?
Zoom workshops will be offered each year. We also have a large suite of online resources, many of which include links to YouTubes and recordings of past workshops featuring academic staff from different parts of the University. The core messages of the face-to-face workshops are provided in the online resources.
If you are a commencing external student, you can contact Wendy Bastalich (wendy.bastalich@unisa.edu.au) to arrange an individual one on one zoom appointment. Zoom appointments can cover any aspect of an online topic, you can share and get constructive feedback on your research text or PPt slides for presentations, practice talks, and ask questions about any aspect of workshop topics.
In addition to scheduled zoom workshops, online resources, and individual appointments, commencing external candidates can organize a zoom workshop with Wendy Bastalich on any of the workshop topics, or to discuss setting up a writing group. To do so, we will need at least four committed people and an agreed time that will suit everyone. Everyone must commit to attending on time, and must have access to a quiet room, with working camera and audio which is switched on.
What is the etiquette for zoom workshops?
We aim for the zoom workshops to be as interactive as the face-to-face workshops as this is most conducive to learning. We will use break out rooms or have group discussion in the main workshop room. It is important for you to be seen and heard to be able to interact fully with other candidates and with the facilitator. If you will be attending a workshop via zoom, please ensure you are able to participate in a quiet, private space, and check that your audio and video is working effectively. When you enter the workshop room it is important to turn your video and audio on. If your equipment is not functioning, you do not have access to a private space, you cannot attend on time, or need to leave significantly early, please arrange to attend a workshop at another time or access the online resources as an alternative.
I’m very busy, will the workshops be worth my time?
Yes. Attending workshops can help you to improve and organise notetaking, establish a writing plan, clarify what is expected, break down the steps involved in achieving your writing goals, and provide valuable feedback on your writing, all of which can save you considerable time in the long run. The workshops will also help you to find your own voice in your writing, improve the sophistication of your writing, and make your writing more accessible and powerful. It is also important to attend workshops because you will meet and learn from other research candidates, and expand your network. The people you meet in workshops often become friends and acquaintances with whom you can swap information, discuss research, and give and receive learning and other forms of support, enhancing your research experience.
Will the workshops be relevant to my specific field?
Yes. Many aspects of research communication and of the research process, as well as features of research writing, are common across disciplines. There are also significant variations and important differences among disciplines. In the workshops we will discuss and explore generic aspects of research writing and communication. You will also be asked to bring along example texts of the type you would like to write from your own discipline or field, and learn how to analyse examples from your own field in order to reflect on and improve on your own discipline based writing.
I'm a commencing student, should I attend the journal article and thesis writing workshops now?The thesis and journal article writing workshops are designed to support continuing research degree students who are actively engaged in writing journal articles and theses. The journal article writing workshops focus on the planning, drafting and revision processes involved in writing a journal article. Following workshop one (but preferably before the commencement of the workshop series), students will be expected to have researched key journals and their manuscript submission requirements, and have collated exemplar articles from these journals. Doing so will enable you to participate meaningfully in the workshops in the series.
The thesis writing workshops focus on structuring a large research document and will involve activities to support you in developing abstracts, introductions and other key sections of writing in the longer document. If you have not begun the thesis writing process, you may not be able to participate meaningfully in all of the activities. Thesis writing workshops are recommended for research degree students who are in the middle to later stages of candidature.
There is no workshop on the topic I need right now, what should I do?
Because candidates start at different times throughout the year and work in both internal and external, full-time and part-time modes, it is sometimes difficult to get enough of you together at the same time to provide a workshop when you want it. The best thing to do is to note when the workshops are offered at the beginning of each year and to plan to attend them in advance so that you don't miss out. But if you do, you can always attend at a later date when the workshop is repeated. It won't be too late or too early to benefit from the workshops regardless of your stage of candidature.
What should I do if I can't make it to a workshop I have registered for?
Log into EDGEx and find the activity in your booking summary. Click on the activity and then click the option to cancel at the bottom of the page. If the activity is within the two days prior to the workshop, the EDGEx system will not allow you to cancel. In this instance, contact the provider who will then select 'excused' on the registration page against your name thereby avoiding a 'no show' on your record. To find the contact email for the activity provider, go to the activity through your booking summary or the EDGEx catalogue. Below the summary line and above the domain and capability statement graphic, you will find the provider group name and their contact email address. Simply email them and advise them that you are unable to attend. Your record should then be updated in due course to 'Excused'.
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