Early Career Academics and Postgraduate Workshop 17-18 May 2023

We are delighted to share the highlights and insights from the Early Career Academics and Postgraduate Workshop that was held on 17-18 May 2023. The Research Capacity Development Unit within the Department of Research and Innovation partnered with the Department of Library Services and hosted a hybrid workshop focusing on all the tools and services to assist Early Careers or Postgraduate Researchers through their academic journey.

This initiative was well welcomed by this community, as it brought together a diverse group of early career professionals and postgraduate students in a dynamic and enriching setting. The Groenkloof Research Commons Auditorium was our venue for physical attendance.

Day 1 (May 17 2023):

The first day of the workshop was a resounding success, filled with engaging presentations and discussions. The morning kicked off with welcoming words from Ms Audrey Lenoge, the Law Library Faculty Manager. Following the words of welcome was a series of presentations and discussions from different speakers, allowing participants to delve deeper into various aspects of early career development. Topics covered included: Finding appropriate literature for your literature review, EndNote, copyright, formatting your article with MS Word and ChatGPT, to name a few.

Day 2 (May 18 2023):

The second day of the workshop continued the momentum with hands-on workshops and skill-building presentations for research publications. Topics included: Research Management Plans, how to identify a Journal to publish in, uploading data on the Research Data Repository, research visibility, author citation analysis and identifying partners for research publications.

Key Takeaways:

• Literature Review: The presenter offered a concise overview of the importance and structure of literature reviews in research. It highlighted the importance of identifying gaps, framing research questions, and equipping the participants with essential skills for producing robust academic work.
• EndNote: The presentation provided a comprehensive guide to effectively managing and organizing research references.
• Copyright: Fundamental concepts such as copyright ownership, duration, and exclusive rights were covered. The presentation encouraged the responsible use of copyrighted materials to foster a deeper understanding of intellectual property rights in academic and creative endeavours.
• Research Proposal: The presentation emphasized the significance of clear problem statements, feasible research plans, and the alignment of proposed studies with existing literature for a successful postgraduate research project. 

Attendees during the event. 

Katlego Aphane (Information Specialist) supervising the Q&A session.