Have you been keeping up with the HDR development bulletin? Each week a different aspect of the Research and Employability Skills Training (REST) Program is spotlighted to help HDR students’ identify opportunities to progress with their skill development. The skills covered so far include Career planning, Thesis writing and Research practice.

See below for what was covered and full details further on. For personalised advice, email HDR.Development@flinders.edu.au and we can help 😊

Spotlighting the HDR Website (Mon 5 February)

REST module available – Literature Review (Mon 19 February)

REST module available – Candidature Management (Mon 26 February)

 

Spotlighting the HDR Website

Monday 5 February 

In a couple of weeks, you will start receiving links to newly developed REST content. Before that, we thought this would be a great opportunity to familiarise you with the information and resources already available on the HDR website – https://students.flinders.edu.au/my-course/hdr.

Have you seen the new look HDR website? The website includes information and links to all the resources that HDR students and their supervisors need to know. If you have not had a look at the website recently, have a browse via the link below and make yourself familiar with it. On it, you will find:

• A Contact Us page with all the HDR contacts you need to know about, including central support, college, committee and student representatives with explanations on when and how to contact each.
• HDR FAQs, which highlight the most frequently asked questions and answers in the HDR space.
• Links to HDR Scholarship Opportunities, keeping you informed of any upcoming opportunities.
• A page dedicated to Degree Management, providing an overview of your candidature, information on specific milestones, how to make changes and where to go for support.
• A page dedicated to Development and Training, providing an overview of the REST program, doctoral graduate attributes and other learning opportunities such as 3MT and COMS9001.
• A page dedicated to Cotutelle and Industry, providing detailed information on how to engage outside the university through specialised program such as the Cotutelle, IMNIS, Industry PhDs and internships.
• A page dedicated to Submission and Examination, outlining how to prepare your thesis for examination, the process of submission and examination, what you are examined on and how to make amendments. This page also has a section dedicated to thesis examiners.
• A page on Student Resources, outlining all the services available to you, including HDR Central, ResearchNow, IP, travel and insurance information, building and space access and many more.
• An Information for Supervisors page, providing all the information HDR supervisors need to know.
• Information on Awards and Prizes in the HDR space, including the BEST HDR Student Publication Award and VC’s Award for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, amongst others.
• Links to Blogs and Newsletters, including the Staying in the Loop and HDR Development bulletin blog.

REST module available – Literature Review

Monday 19 February

We are happy to announce that the first new REST module is now available, focusing on the skills required to conduct literature reviews.

Conducting a literature review early on in your candidature is an essential part of your HDR learning journey. It creates space for you to deeply familiarise yourself with existing knowledge from one or more disciplines, as you identify and clarify the research gap you want to pursue. Your literature review is also one of the most important parts of your thesis. It is a systematic interrogation of the existing research that helps you to position your research in the knowledge gap. It enables you to explore existing understanding in your research area whilst also providing context for the scope and significance of your specific research project.

The Literature Review REST module steps you through this process from beginning to end, through comprehensive, interactive and embedded Epigeum modules, Flinders specific resources and support, and a number of external online courses, workshops and videos on the topic. The module is delivered in different stages, and you can tap into it however you need – explore only specific type of literature review or aspect, or launch in and complete the whole module for overall understanding. We have built in links to the Inspire Skills Needs Analysis and Activity Completion forms, so you can easily assess your skills and record the completion of individual online or in-person activities at the click of a button.

To view and complete the module, please click the link below to be taken directly to the module. If you are not yet registered in the REST Canvas site, you will first need to register via https://canvas.flinders.edu.au/enroll/FM8AWN. If you have any questions or feedback on the module, please reach out via return email.

REST module available – Candidature Management

Monday 26 February 

We are happy to share that the next module in the new REST Canvas site is available. The Candidature Module outlines the steps and processes in the HDR candidature, and provides some useful links and resources.

Navigating your way through the HDR candidature can be confusing and overwhelming. This module steps you through the different stages, introducing the candidature management process and the annual HDR milestones. It steps you through each milestone, outlining the requirements and purpose of the Confirmation of Candidature/Research Proposal, Mid-Candidature Review and Final Thesis Review. It also outlines the Thesis Submission and Examination Process, providing detailed information and links to recorded and upcoming workshops.

To view and complete the module, please click the link below to be taken directly to the module. If you are not yet registered in the REST Canvas site, you will first need to register via https://canvas.flinders.edu.au/enroll/FM8AWN. If you have any questions or feedback on the module, please reach out via return email.