Recommended training
Recommended training for PGR students.
The acquisition and development of personal transferable, employment-related and generic research skills is an important part of postgraduate research training. The School of Informatics works closely with the Institute for Academic Development's PG team to produce a programme of skills and research training specifically designed for its postgraduate research students.
This page will help you navigate through the wide variety of training opportunities open to students and also to help highlight the courses that are highly recommended or essential.
Most courses are half-day or full-day courses that have been designed specifically for Informatics students.
Although the formal requirements of research study do not include a coursework component it is expected that all students will attend all of the highly recommended courses.
In addition, supervisors may recommend that you attend one or more of the MSc courses available in the School of Informatics during your first year. If you wish to attend the lectures for a course, you must ask for approval of the Programme Director first. Please contact the Informatics Teaching Office (with your approval email) and request to be registered as 'Class Only' on the course - please provide the course name and course code. You are not allowed to attend any tutorial or lab sessions or submit assessed coursework for these courses; you will not be awarded credit for attending the course(s).
Informatics Teaching Office email: ito@inf.ed.ac.uk
Please follow the instructions provided on the Institute for Academic Development site to book places on courses and check the information on course content, background needed and eligibility to ensure that the course or resource is what you require.
Institute for Academic Development
English Language Education - Course List
English language courses on offer for PhD students include:
- Writing a PhD first year report
- Writing your PhD; reviewing your literature
- Writing your PhD; qualitative research
- Writing your PhD; scientific research
It is expected that all students will attend the courses listed below. Follow the link for more detail on the contents and date of each course.
All first years are expected to attend:
All second years are expected to attend:
- One or more IAD session(s) on presenting research (examples below)
- Pitch Perfect: Public Speaking, Networking and Engaging
- Presenting your Research with Confidence
- Research Posters - an Engaging Graphical Research Story (PGR)
- Presentation Skills for the Terrified (PGR)
- Handling questions at a conference presentation
- Handling Presentation Difficulties (PGR)
- Presenting Your Research Virtually - Best Practice for Online (and Live) Presenting.
All third year students are expected to attend:
There are also relevant IAD courses on offer e.g.
- Final Year Focus
- Thesis Writing Bootcamp: Planning, Finishing and Avoiding Pitfalls.
-
7 Reasons You'll Pass Your Viva
-
Viva survivor
The Institute for Academic Development offers many other courses that will be of benefit to you during your PhD studies and afterwards. The courses are classified into categories:
- Research Planning: essential skills for PhD research.
- Professional Development: personal and professional skills relevant to your PhD and your future career
- Communication: improve your written communication, presentation skills, and develop public engagement skills
Please visit the Course Lists for IAD and book onto all the courses that are relevant to your skills training requirements and at a time that suits your needs.
Anyone whose thesis has ethical issues or who is just interested in science and social responsibility can take the following online course:
2022/23
Semester 2
The courses list below are just a small, relevant selection from the IAD course lists.
There are many other courses available so please do take a look at their full lists and sign up for anything you think will help you with delivering your PGR research.
| Date/Time | Course |
| Thur 09-Mar-2023, 09:30 - 10:50 |
Finding Academic Literature (CSCE) This session is for students in the College of Science & Engineering. One of the first tasks undertaken by research students is a review of the literature. This course introduces resources and services available from the Library and will cover the use of online literature databases to help you find relevant research literature effectively. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
|
Tuesday 14-Mar-2023, 13:30 - 16:30 |
Managing Your Research Project (IAD) Project management is a core skill for many jobs and being a researcher is no different. This workshop is designed to help you take control of your research and support you in the successful completion of your PhD and future project inside and outside academia. This workshop, which is aimed at all postgraduate researchers, explores how you can apply project management principles to research projects. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
| Tue 21-Mar-2023, 09:30 - 12:30 |
Collaborative Writing and Publishing Collaborative writing is often stimulating and rewarding, but it can also be stressful. In this workshop, we explore both the benefits and the challenges of writing in collaboration with others; the affordances and drawbacks of different types of collaboration; issues around ownership, contribution and authorship; co-authoring and technology; and communication habits of strong collaborators. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
| Thursday 23-Mar-2023, 09:30 - 11:00 |
Handling Presentation Difficulties (PGR) To paraphrase an old military saying – “no plan survives first contact with the enemy.” We prepare our talk and in rehearsal we are perfect. We feel confident and ready to share our work. But then something happens that derails you. For many presenters the key challenge at conference or seminar is handling the moments where they lose control. All excellent and experienced presenters have had these situations. Come along and learn some tips and tricks for dealing with the presentation stumbling blocks that you can’t control. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
|
Wed 12-Apr-2023, 09:30 - 12:30 and Wed 24-May-2023, 09:30 - 12:30 |
Critical Thinking Workshop for PGR's What does your supervisor mean when they tell you that your writing is ‘too descriptive’ or ‘not critical enough’? How can you write ‘critically’, making sure that your work meets one of the key academic requirements? In this workshop we identify how critical engagement with your research manifests in your reading and your writing, and how you can apply critical values to your dissertation. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
|
Tues 04-Apr-2023, 10:00 - 12:00, Wed 05-Apr-2023, 10:00 - 12:00 Thur 06-Apr-2023, 10:00 - 12:00 |
Improve Productivity - Reduce Stress Staying on top and in control of our work in this fast-paced world is becoming increasingly difficult. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed and have a knock on effect to our personal life. How can we continually improve management of an ever-increasing and complex workload, in a world of unprecedented change … and still have time for personal life? This session has been developed to help effectively manage a hectic and complex workload and support us as we focus on the important, plan our work effectively and attack it with confidence. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
| Fri 21-Apr-2023, 10:00 - 13:00 |
Viva Survivor The viva is almost the end of the PhD. A lot of work leads to this point, but often anxiety can mix with the sense of achievement at completing the thesis. For many candidates the time before the viva is filled with uncertainty about the day, uncertainty about how to prepare well - and stress for what the viva might be like.Viva Survivor is for postgraduate researchers who want to know how to be ready for their viva. Book via the IAD course list (O-Z) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/o-z-course-list |
| Mon 8 May 2023, 10:00-12:00 |
(IN PERSON) Preparing for First Year Review - School of Informatics - Dr Mary Cryan Room 1.17, Dugald Stewart Building Central Area Direct booking link: here |
| Tue 9 May 2023, 10.00 - 12.00 |
(IN PERSON) Preparing for the Viva – School of Informatics - Dr Ajitha Rajan Room 1.17, Dugald Stewart Building Central Area Direct Booking Link: https://edin.ac/3N1LtBb |
Tutors and demonstrators (all years)
| Date/Time | Course |
|
Wed 05-Oct-2022, 13:30 - 15:30 |
Assessment and Providing Feedback This workshop is intended for tutors and demonstrators from across the University of Edinburgh with responsibility for marking and/or providing feedback. It provides an overview of assessment processes and explores the students' needs for support at different stages. It identifies some of the challenges faced by markers, discusses strategies for coping with these challenges; and examines good practice in providing feedback on students' work. Please note we do not do any practical marking exercises in this workshop due to the varied practices across disciplines and subjects. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list Also, Wednesday 01-Feb-2023, 13:30 - 15:30 |
|
Wed 12-Oct-2022, 13:30 - 16:30 |
Enhancing Tutorials This course is intended for tutors from across the University of Edinburgh who have already started teaching tutorials. It contains a stocktaking exercise of your recent teaching experiences; discussion of tricky issues and coping strategies; suggestions for how you can get feedback on your teaching; and a facilitated discussion on using technology tutorials. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
|
Wed 19-Oct-2022, 13:30 - 16:30 |
Designing and Delivering Lectures This workshop is intended for more experienced tutors and demonstrators who are relatively new to lecturing or embarking on it for the first time. It considers what is involved in planning a lecture, and discusses strategies for engaging students’ attention. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list Also, Wednesday 01-Mar-2023, 13:30 - 16:30 |
| Wed 09-Nov-2022, 13:30 - 15:00 |
Advising on Personal and Academic Matters This workshop is for more experienced tutors and demonstrators. It discusses the full range of support that students can require (from study development to personal matters); the boundaries to your responsibilities; recording and confidentiality issues; and strategies for handling potentially tricky situations. It points to University Support services and resources for study development. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list Also, Wed 29-Mar-2023, 13:30 - 15:00 |
|
Wed 16-Nov-2022, 13:30 - 15:30 |
Supervising Projects and Dissertations This workshop is intended for more experienced tutors and demonstrators who are taking on supervising responsibilities. It discusses the students’ needs at different stages and the type of support you might provide, the boundaries to your responsibilities, recording and confidentiality issues, and strategies for handling potentially tricky situations. Book via the IAD course list (O-Z) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/o-z-course-list Also, Wed 22-Mar-2023, 13:30 - 15:30 |
|
Wed 18-Jan-2023, 13:30 - 16:30 |
Effective Tutoring Introduction (On Campus) This workshop is for tutors who are new or relatively new to teaching tutorials from across the University of Edinburgh with a focus on open-discussion classes. We consider what makes for an effective tutorial; examine the students’ perspectives and their needs in particular contexts; and share experiences of strategies that might be adopted in different contexts. Book via the IAD course list (A-N) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/a-n-course-list |
| Wed 25-Jan-2023, 13:30 - 16:30 |
Tutoring in the Sciences This workshop is for tutors who teach problem-solving tutorials in science courses, who are new or relatively new to teaching. We consider what makes for an effective tutorial; examine the students’ perspectives and their needs in particular contexts; and share experiences of strategies that might be adopted in different contexts. Book via the IAD course list (O-Z) - https://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/doctoral/courses/o-z-course-list |
Presentations and Transferable skills materials for students
Follow these links for access to materials and presentations used as part of these workshops:
Doing Informatics research - see the materials for the course.
PhD Postgrad Supervision in CSE: Supervisor Refresher Course
UPDATED 20 SEPT 2022