What a year for the Merensky Research Commons

Posted on September 01, 2018

The Research Commons strives to provide our Postgraduates with a space where they can be productive but feel at home as well.  It aims to play a role in the development of skills and to provide opportunities of growth to our students - and 2018 was a year in which it did exactly that.

Starting as early as February, the Research Commons hosted a workshop focussed on Turnitin and Endnote, two fields that play an important role in the postgraduate process.  After great success and high demand, this workshop was repeated in March.  The Research Commons then took initiative and presented a workshop on conducting a literature review in April.  Filling the gap of knowing how to locate literature before compiling it in a review.

The follow up event hosted by the Research Commons was a Postgraduate Forum in May, where the students received talks from Professor S.G. Burton on ‘Achieving Success in Postgraduate Studies’ and Dr. Kelleher on ‘Academic Reading: tips and tricks’.  This allowed students to interact with influential figures in research.

But the Research Commons showed no signs of slowing down, hosting an MS Word and Endnote workshop in August which provided the students with the required skills to polish their research before handing in.  This was yet another workshop received by the students with massive praise, so much so that the workshop was repeated in September, the result of high demand.  This specific workshop also proved that the Research Commons cares about the growth of not only the students, but of its staff as well – allowing one of the staff members to gain experience by teaching the MS Word section of the workshop at both events.

The last of the workshops for 2018, after the Research Commons listened to the request from numerous students, was an MS Excel workshop in October.  The year was concluded with a total of 6 workshops/forums in aid of developing and enhancing the research process of our Postgraduate students. 

2018 also saw one of the Research Commons staff members becoming a Masters Graduate while she pursues her doctorate.  However, the Research Commons also knows when the students need a moment to reflect and take a break – so an outing was arranged with the students, to the Camera Obscura in October.  The Research Commons believes that, much like the Camera Obscura, we should allow ourselves to see our circumstances with as much depth as possible and know that, we too, can go great distances.

Ensuring the year was productive for the students, providing opportunities for growth to the students and staff and creating a positive environment that feels welcoming – check, check and check.

The Research Commons wishes all students success during this final stretch of 2018 and encourages all to enjoy a well-deserved and happy break this coming festive season.

Expanding Minds at a Turnitin Workshop

 

- Author Westley Smith

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