This in person course is run by the Researcher Academy as part of the Arts Researcher Skills Programme 

Target audience: This in-person early stage session is part of the core Arts Researcher Skills Programme for researchers in the Faculty of Arts only. If you are on a distance-learning PhD programme, there is a webinar instance of this workshop for you.

Pre-course activity: before attending ‘Starting out as a researcher’, please visit the associated Moodle resources and make a start with the development needs analysis (DNA) activity.

We are running an optional Development Needs Analysis Q&A/drop-in on 15th Oct from 9:30-10am in the RA Hub in B01, Highfield House (no need to book, just turn up).

Description: 

This is the first session on the Arts Researcher Skills Programme and covers the following activities:

• Welcome from Researcher Academy Faculty Lead for Arts
• Researcher Academy induction talk for Arts researchers
• Riddles of the doctorate: what does an escape room have in common with a doctorate? Together, we'll explore the nature and expectations of doctoral study through the lens of an escape room-style game, in groups

The idea of this session is to equip you with the information and skills to get your research programme off to a flying start and give you time and space to connect with other researchers in the Faculty of Arts.

Feedback from previous attendees:
“Very useful and clear information that helped me plan my research and consider aspects I had not considered before.”

"I got so much more out of the escape room activity than I first expected – it demystified the PhD for me and I feel more prepared now.”

Process: Delivered through presentation, Q&A and a group activity.

Course Accessibility

The following table shows a summary of what is needed to participate in the course. 

If you feel you will experience any difficulties participating, please let us know via the ‘special requirements’ tab, providing as much information as possible. The special requirements tab can be completed when you book your place. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk.

Access seminar room on campus
Take part in group activities/ discussions
Watch and listen to the course tutor(s) and/ or other attendees
Follow presentation slides during the course
Attend the course at a specific date and time
Access and/or complete self-study/ pre-course tasks prior to main session
Bring them to the course or bring your own laptop to the course

Booking Guidelines

Latecomer policy
Researchers should plan to arrive prior to the advertised course start time. Except for exceptional reasons, there will be no admittance to a Researcher Academy or Faculty Training Programme (FTP) course 15 minutes after the advertised course start time.

Importance of booking commitment
 When booking on to a Researcher Academy short course you are entering into a commitment to attend. If you find that you are no longer available to attend you MUST cancel your place (on the system if more than three days before the course) or if at short notice by emailing ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk. This will ensure that your place can be offered to another researcher on the waiting list. Failure to cancel a place results in other researchers missing out on places through the waiting list process.

It is unacceptable for researchers to just not attend when booked onto a course. The Researcher Academy maintains records of those who repeatedly do not attend courses they have booked. This may affect future eligibility to book onto further Researcher Academy courses and will affect considerations for Researcher Academy funded opportunities.

• Researcher Academy is committed to protecting the privacy of researchers who register for our training courses and events. Your completion of the booking process shall constitute your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data to University staff and external partners responsible for the delivery of the course or event for which you have registered.  Personal information shared includes; name, role/position, mode of study, School/Department, dietary and accessibility requirements.

Latecomer policy

• Researchers should plan to arrive prior to the advertised course start time. Except for exceptional reasons, there will be no admittance to a Researcher Academy or Faculty Training Programme (FTP) course 15 minutes after the advertised course start time.

Importance of booking commitment

• When booking on to a Researcher Academy short course you are entering into a commitment to attend. If you find that you are no longer available to attend you MUST cancel your place (on the system if more than three days before the course) or if at short notice by emailing pg-training@nottingham.ac.uk. This will ensure that your place can be offered to another researcher on the waiting list. Failure to cancel a place results in other researchers missing out on places through the waiting list process.
• It is unacceptable for researchers to just not attend when booked onto a course. Researcher Academy maintains records of those who repeatedly do not attend courses they have booked. This may affect future eligibility to book onto further Researcher Academy courses and will affect considerations for Researcher Academy funded opportunities.